'Not a chance' - Socceroos boss makes strong decision on Portsmouth defender ahead of important World Cup qualifiers

Tony Popovic has confirmed Pompey defender Hayden Matthews will not be involved in his upcoming Socceroos training camp in Abu Dhabi.

The Australia national team boss stressed he will not be calling upon the 20-year-old centre-back to aid his fitness as he continues his recovery from the ankle injury he picked up against QPR in February.

Matthews subsequently required surgery following the setback in just his sixth Blues appearance following his £1.2m move from Sydney FC in January.

That meant he was forced to sit out Pompey’s remaining 11 games as the pause button was abruptly pressed on his encouraging start to life at Fratton Park.

The centre-back remains on course to report back for pre-season training, when the Blues return from their summer break at the end of June.

But having called up departing Blues striker Kusini Yengi in March after just three games following his return from a four-month lay-off because of a knee issue, Popovic said he would not be asking Matthews to link up with his squad ahead of their important World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia.

The Socceroos - who sit second in their World Cup qualifying group - travel to Abu Dhabi on May 20, before facing Japan in Perth on June 5. They then head to Jeddah to take on Saudi Arabia in their final group game on June 10.

The top two teams automatically qualify for next year’s finals in the USA.

When asked by Australian media if Matthews, alongside fellow injured Socceroos team-mates Riley McGree and Jordie Bos would at least be invited to the training camp in the UAE, Popovic responded: ‘Jordan and Hayden - no. Not a chance. But Riley - he is a chance!’

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Hayden Matthews was making Pompey impression before injury struck

Matthews has one international cap for the Socceroos which predates his move to Pompey in January.

The defender started three of the six games he played for the Blues before picking up his ankle injury late in the win against QPR. And in that time he was already making an impression.

Club captain told The News in March: ‘Hayden has obviously been a revelation. We signed a young lad from the A-League and his performances have been outstanding. You can see why we have ended up recruiting him as a player, so I’m really disappointed for him.’

Speaking after Matthews’ starring role in the win over Oxford at the Kassam Stadium, head coach John Mousinho said: ‘I thought he was excellent. I thought he was excellent on his debut against Millwall and again he’s stepped up and played against a really good centre-forward at the level.

‘So I was really pleased for Hayden and I thought he was superb. I didn’t look at any of the situations with Hayden and think he got bullied off the ball or was aerially weak. I was very pleased with that.’

Kusini Yengi’s Socceroos call-up split opinion

Yengi’s call-up to the Australia squad for their games against Indonesia and China in March was criticised by the Fratton faithful, who believed his selection came far too soon after his Pompey comeback.

Ultimately, they were proved right as the striker returned home early with a hamstring injury.

But while fans were voicing their disapproval at the decision, Mousinho was in favour of the call-up.

He told The News at the time: ‘I think it might benefit Kas going away on international duty. There are a couple of players going away that could do with some minutes - and I think he is one of them.

‘It might help us when he comes back after those two matches.’

Yengi featured just three more times for Pompey following his recovery from injury, all as a substitute.

Pompey announced on Tuesday, that he’s free to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract next month.

For your next Pompey read: A sad end for a talent unfulfilled - but Kusini Yengi's Portsmouth legacy will forever be cherished - opinion