Nabbout eyes goals for attack-minded Caltex Socceroos

Goals win matches and Andrew Nabbout believes the attack-minded Caltex Socceroos can score plenty of them with a host of different options at Bert van Marwijk’s disposal.

Nabbout, who has enjoyed the best seasons of his career at club level, is one of a number of attacking players in van Marwijk’s 27-man preliminary squad.

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The 25-year-old has seen the talent from the likes of Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Dimi Petratos, Mathew Leckie, Robbie Kruse and Daniel Arzani on the training pitch in Antalya, Turkey every day leading into the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

And with Jamie Maclaren joining the squad this week to add further options, Nabbout says the depth in the front-third is pushing the squad and is confident the team has plenty of goals in them.

“You see the kind of quality that Jamie [Maclaren] brings and it’s good that he’s here,” he told www.socceroos.com.au.

“It gives a little more competition and now there’s one more person to be up against. That’s what we want.

“It’s the best places to be where there’s expectations and where competition is high. It’s good to have him here.

“We definitely have a few attacking options and we’re going to be out there to score goals that’s for sure.”

Of course, it’s unlikely all those attacking names will make the cut for the tournament in Russia.

Van Marwijk will trim four players on Sunday afternoon (AEST) as he has to settle on his final 23 to carry Australia’s hopes at the FIFA World Cup.

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While he hasn’t made the cut just yet, Nabbout admits he can’t help but dream about being out on the pitch in the Caltex Socceroos’ first group game against France on June 16.

“You think about it every day. It’s the reason why you work so hard in training to be able to put that jersey on, especially in a World Cup,” he said.

“It’s the biggest honour to put that jersey on in the first place, doesn’t matter what game it is but to do it at a World Cup, it’s something you look back at years from now and say ‘I got that opportunity’.

“The first game is against France and they are no easy feat. It’s going to be a good test for us, no matter who is taking the pitch everyone is going to be out fired and ready to go and do the country proud.”

Nabbout made his Caltex Socceroos debut in the friendlies against Norway and Colombia in March and is keen to add to that in Friday’s vital clash with the Czech Republic in Austria.

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After more than a week of intense training in Turkey, the ex-Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory star is excited to put their work into practice in a key warm-up match before Russia.

“We’ve been working on [our attack] this week, really going forward and making those sorts of runs and getting in those sorts of positions to score goals,” Nabbout said.

“It’s going to be a test against the Czech Republic this week and I’m looking forward to getting out there.

“The Czech Republic is a stepping stone to being ready for that France game. If we are lucky enough to make that 23 we are all working towards that same goal, France game one, and Czech Republic is a very important step towards that game.”

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