Australia explain Martin Boyle shock World Cup omission as Hibs and Hearts men learn fate

The 33-year-old is one of four players cut from the Socceroos extended training camp and has not made the final 26-man line-up for the tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico this summer.

Uncapped forwards Tete Yengi, on loan at Machida Zelvia in Japan from Livingston, and Cristian Volpato from Serie A club Sassuolo, have been preferred in attack.

There was better news, however, for Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin who has been selected as one of the midfield options after a standout season at Tynecastle. Former Hibs midfielder Jackson Irvine and ex-Dundee United duo Harry Souttar and Aziz Behich have also been included.

Both Boyle and Devlin were unused subs in a 1-0 friendly loss to Mexico at the weekend while another Hibs striker, Ante Suto, was cut earlier in the US training camp.

“I’m not going to go into how he took the news, that’s a private conversation that we had,” head coach Tony Popovic said about Boyle. “But he knows he’s played an important role in getting here. As I said earlier, we’ve given so many players an opportunity at different times and we just spoke about Tete Yengi, Cristian Volpato coming in late. You can remember a couple more in March that made their debuts.

“Lucas Herrington coming in, Awer Mbail, so that’s four players that had nothing to do with our campaign and are now going to the World Cup. I’ve always kept the door open for everyone, and when you do that, it can cost someone that’s been through the journey a spot at the World Cup. Unfortunately for Martin he was one of those players.”

Ex-Hearts man also cut from squad alongside Boyle

Boyle, who was called up for the 2022 edition in Qatar only to miss out through injury, was a regular during the World Cup qualification campaign. He has amassed 41 caps for Australia, scoring 10 goals. Former Hearts defender Kye Rowles, forward Brandon Borrello and goalkeeper Joe Gauci were also cut from the squad.

”They go home,” added Popovic. “Yeah, those discussions are never easy and there’s no perfect way to give someone that type of news. Once they hear the news, how much they hear after that, I’m not sure really, in terms of whatever I say after that, it can be a blur to most of them.

“They hear the news they don’t want to hear and that’s the news that I have to give them. Wonderful young men, professionals who have played a part in our journey and helping us qualify for the World Cup, so it’s it’s tough. It’s tough for them and they they need to process that. I think they’re all difficult in the end in different ways. You’re trying to reach that number of twenty six players that you feel fit the right profile and for all scenarios that can happen throughout this World Cup that we can be covered and be comfortable with that.

“Unfortunately some players through that process have to miss out and with having a pre camp and having a larger number of players, you know, at the start of that it’s always easier but then at the end you have to disappoint some players. That’s never easy and it wasn’t easy for those boys this morning. Now we’ve got clarity, and you know, clear air in terms of the twenty six players. We’ve arrived here in our base camp, a wonderful place and yeah, we know now that this is a squad going to the World Cup. We had a group meeting with with the all the players that were selected and and all the staff that is here to make everyone realise how special this is and we all put our suits on and it was a it was a very smart looking room with everyone in their suits and it just felt special."

Boyle's omission is a further financial blow for Hibs after Rocky Bushiri also missed out on representing DR Congo through injury. The club had been expecting to earn around £8,000 to £9,000 every day for each player involved in the tournament but Grant Hanley has been left as the only Hibs player at the tournament as he flies out with Steve Clarke’s Scotland team.

Hearts have Devlin and Scotland’s Craig Gordon at the tournament while Jambos youngster Liam McFarlane is also with Clarke’s team as a training keeper. They will also be entitled to some of the Fifa payment for Lawrence Shankland’s involvement before his move to Rangers is made official on June 15.