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THE injury crisis that threatens to derail Australia's World Cup campaign will today force coach Pim Verbeek to name an expanded 31-man provisional squad for the tournament, three more than he had planned.
With Harry Kewell in doubt for the tournament on account of a persistent groin injury and other senior players struggling for fitness, Verbeek's last-minute switch will allow him the flexibility to select at least one extra midfielder and one extra defender, with another goalkeeper likely to be brought in.
The squad will be trimmed to 23 on June 1, less than a fortnight before Australia's opening group-stage match against Germany.
However, an outline of the final World Cup squad could be known in the hours after the friendly against New Zealand on May 24, with those players not in the running almost certain to be left off the plane to South Africa.
By naming a 31-man squad, Verbeek is hoping to run something of an elimination among the players in camp and during the friendly, giving fringe players a last chance to impress.
Verbeek finalised the squad during the weekend and key players have already been notified of their selection. All players will have been informed well in advance of today's announcement, set for 11am.
While there are no outlandish surprises expected, the Heraldunderstands there could be a few bolters - none greater than 18-year-old midfield sensation Tommy Oar.
After beginning the year as an unknown with Brisbane Roar, Oar ended the season with a lucrative contract with Dutch club Utrecht and was picked to launch the Socceroos' World Cup strip.
Perhaps the selection that will raise the most eyebrows is the likely recall of central defender Michael Beauchamp, who was also a surprise choice in 2006 and is said to be on the verge of agreeing terms with Melbourne Heart.
Jade North, who has struggled to win his spot with Norwegian club Tromso, appears to have nudged out Simon Colosimo.
One of the final places in the squad is thought to have been allotted to James Holland, whom Verbeek has identified as an excellent prospect.
All the Socceroos' mainstays from the past few years will keep their places, even though injury concerns linger over players such as Kewell, Mark Bresciano and Vince Grella.
Eddy Bosnar, Sasa Ognenovski and Joel Griffiths will all likely miss the squad despite impressing in Japan's, Korea's and China's top leagues respectively.
Nicky Carle, who only recently won favour with Verbeek, will be named.
Richard Garcia and Mark Milligan look likely to defy expectations and make the 31-man squad, with Shane Lowry and Rhys Williams, who turned their backs on Ireland and Wales respectively, certain to be heading to South Africa.
However,Matthew Spiranovic, widely accepted as the nation's most gifted young defender, will miss out due to his failure to find first-teamfootball in Germany and now Japan.
Mile Sterjovski will be overlooked despite heading to Fulham to train after his season finished with Perth, while fellow Glory midfielder Jacob Burns, who is also training with the west London club, is believed to have only just missed the cut.
Curiously, Verbeek will name four goalkeepers - Mark Schwarzer, Adam Federici, Brad Jones and Eugene Galekovic.Scott McDonald will be named as Verbeek is considering using the lively Middlesbrough hitman as a key weapon off the bench - a role that could also be filled by Nikita Rukavytsya.
The provisional 31-man Socceroos World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Adam Federici (Reading, England), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide Utd), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, England), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham, England)
Defenders: Michael Beauchamp (Al-Jazira Club, UAE), David Carney (FC Twente, Netherlands), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel, Switzerland), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa, England), Mark Milligan (JEF United, Japan), Craig Moore (Unattached), Lucas Neill (Galatasaray SK, Turkey), Jade North (Tromsø, Norway), Luke Wilkshire (FK Dinamo Moscow, Russia), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough, England)
Midfielders: Mark Bresciano (Palermo, Italy), Tim Cahill (Everton, England), Nick Carle (Crystal Palace, England), Jason Culina (Gold Coast Utd), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers, England), Richard Garcia (Hull City, England), Vincenzo Grella (Blackburn Rovers, England), James Holland (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Mile Jedinak (Antalyaspor Kulubu, Turkey), Tom Oar (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo Calcio, Italy), Dario Vidosic (FC Nurnberg, Germany)
Forwards: Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus, Japan), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray SK, Turkey), Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough, England), Nikita Rukavytsya (FC Twente, Netherlands)