Brad Jones is out of the World Cup

Eugene Galekovic is expected to replace Brad Jones after the backup Australian goalkeeper was forced out of the World Cup after a serious illness to his young son.

Jones, the Middlesbrough goalkeeper, left just days before the Socceroos' opening match with Germany after learning that his four-year-old son, Luca, was reportedly suffering from leukaemia.

Adelaide United's Galevovic was among five players cut last week for the final squad, but has remained in South Africa training with the Australians in case of an unexpected late injury.

According to AFP, Jones left over the weekend to be with his family in France, leaving behind his concerned teammates, many of whom have young families.

Skipper Lucas Neill said the news had been devastating for the squad.

"It puts football as completely irrelevant, even a World Cup, for everybody," Neill told reporters.

"We consider ourselves a family, and the news we heard ... it was devastating. It hit all the boys for six.

Neill admitted the news had proved a major distraction for his team in their 3-1 loss to the United States in a World Cup warmup game in Roodepoort last Saturday.

The Socceroos plan to give Jones time to decide whether he wants to officially withdraw from the tournament and FIFA on Monday gave official approval for Galekovic to replace Jones should the Middlesbrough goalkeeper pull out as expected.

Coach Pim Verbeek said he is working on the basis that Jones will not return to South Africa.

"We expect him not to come back - that says enough about the seriousness of the matter," Verbeek said.

"We have decided he needs to be with (his family), as long as he needs to be there.

"It is a very serious matter and we wish him strength and luck and everything that is necessary for him to be with his family and support his family."

Harry Kewell in Australia South Africa 2010 squad

Harry Kewell, one of four Socceroos with injuries, was named Tuesday in the Australia squad for next month's World Cup in South Africa.

Coach Pim Verbeek said he was confident that Kewell, who has been out of his Galatasaray's lineup with a persistent groin injury, would be fit for Australia's opening Group D match against Germany in Durban on June 13.

Palermo midfielder Mark Bresciano (back) and Blackburn teammates Brett Emerton (knee) and Vince Grella (thigh) are also fighting injuries but were named in the squad and are expected to play.

The squad must be trimmed to 23 players by June 1. "There are rumors, there are opinions, but Harry will be ready," Verbeek said. "The medical staff and Harry himself convinced me that Harry will be OK.

"We still have five weeks to prepare for the first game against Germany, so don't worry, Harry will be there."

However, Verbeek said he would not consider using Kewell in a May 24 match in Melbourne against New Zealand, which is also South Africa-bound.

"Harry will not be ready for a game like that, it would be too much risk, especially for a player going up and down time zone differences," Verbeek said.

Verbeek, who will leave the Socceroos after the World Cup to take up a technical position in Moroccan football, said Kewell was a player who could perform without any preparation.

"He can do something special during a game and that's what I'm counting on," he said. "Harry is a special class and I will pick Harry and take him into the World Cup even if he's not fit yet."

Fourteen of the players selected played in Australia's 2006 team in Germany, when the Socceroos advanced to the second round before losing to eventual champion Italy. They are Kewell, captain Lucas Neill, Michael Beauchamp, Bresciano, Tim Cahill, Scott Chipperfield, Jason Culina, Emerton, Grella, Joshua Kennedy, Mark Milligan, Craig Moore, Mark Schwarzer and Luke Wilkshire.

Also included was 18-year-old Tommy Oar, who recently signed a contract with Dutch club FC Utrecht.

Verbeek said Oar's emergence was a very promising sign for the national team, although he said he was not guaranteed a trip to South Africa.

"It's great for Australian football we have a player like him," Verbeek said. "(He) made a big impression in a few weeks playing in the Netherlands."

Adelaide United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic will also join the squad as possible replacement.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, Adam Federici (Reading)

Defenders: Craig Moore (No Team), Lucas Neill (Galatasaray), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel), David Carney (FC Twente), Mark Milligan (JEF United), Jade North (Tromso), Michael Beauchamp (Al-Jazira), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough)

Midfielders: Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Tim Cahill (Everton), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Vince Grella (Blackburn), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo), Mile Jedinak (Antalyaspor), Richard Garcia (Hull), Nicky Carle (Crystal Palace), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht), James Holland (AZ Alkmaar)

Forwards: Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus), Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough), Dario Vidosic (FC Nuremberg), Nikita Rukavytsya (FC Twente)

Tommy Oar and Harry Kewell included in Australia's World Cup 2010 roster

Forward Harry Kewell, fighting a persistent groin injury, has been picked for Australia's preliminary World Cup roster.

Coach Pim Verbeek included 31 players Tuesday, including Adelaide United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic, who is not on the official 30-man roster submitted to FIFA. Teams must cut to 23 by June 1.

Gold Coast midfielder Jason Culina is the only other player with an Australian club. Verbeek said he was confident that Kewell, who plays for Galatasaray in Turkey, would be fit for the Socceroos' opener against Germany on June 13.

"There are rumours, there are opinions, but Harry will be ready," Verbeek said Tuesday. "The medical staff and Harry himself convinced me that Harry will be OK. "We still have five weeks to prepare for the first game against Germany, so don't worry, Harry will be there."

Fourteen players are veterans of the 2006 World Cup roster, including Kewell, captain Lucas Neill, Michael Beauchamp, Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill, Scott Chipperfield, Jason Culina, Brett Emerton, Vince Grella, Joshua Kennedy, Mark Milligan, Craig Moore, Mark Schwarzer and Luke Wilkshire.

Also included was 18-year-old Tommy Oar, who recently signed a contract with Dutch club Utrecht. Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton and Vince Grella are also fighting injuries, but all were selected.

Before the World Cup, Australia has an exhibition against the United States on June 5 in Roodepoort, South Africa. The game could feature some intriguing matchups: U.S midfielder Clint Dempsey could face Schwarzer, his starting goalkeeper on Fulham. Cahill could face Tim Howard, his starting goalkeeper on Everton, and midfielder Landon Donovan, who played 13 matches on loan to Everton from Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy during January-March.

At the World Cup, Australia also plays Ghana on June 19 and Serbia on June 23.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Adam Federici (Reading, England), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, England), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham, England)

Defenders: Michael Beauchamp (Al-Jazira, United Arab Emirates), David Carney (Twente, Netherlands), Scott Chipperfield (Basel, Switzerland), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa, England), Mark Milligan (JEF United, Japan), Craig Moore (no club), Lucas Neill (Galatasaray, Turkey), Jade North (Tromso, Norway), Luke Wilkshire (Dinamo Moscow, Russia), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough, England)

Midfielders: Mark Bresciano (Palermo, Italy), Tim Cahill (Everton, England), Nicky Carle (Crystal Palace, England), Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers, England), Richard Garcia (Hull, England), Vince Grella (Blackburn Rovers, England), James Holland (Alkmaar, Netherlands), Brett Holman (Alkmaar, Netherlands), Mile Jedinak (Antalyaspor Kulubu, Turkey), Tommy Oar (Utrecht, Netherlands), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo, Italy)

Forwards: Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus, Japan), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, Turkey), Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough, England), Nikita Rukavytsya (Twente, Netherlands), Dario Vidosic (Nuremberg, Germany)

Source: AP