Aussies stand firm against FIFA

Soccer Australia chairman Ian Knop has refused to accede to a FIFA recommendation that France and Australia pick just one player per club for their controversial friendly in Melbourne.

The world football governing body's "strong recommendation" for the game was designed to appease European managers angered by the prospect of their players travelling so far for a friendly.

But it would mean, for example, that only one of Leeds' Australian internationals Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka - who have both been selected in the Aussie squad for the match - could play for the Socceroos.

Knop said the idea was unacceptable.

"We will be unmoved, unbending and unyielding," he vowed.

He said: "It's a recommendation - a strong recommendation in the spirits of good competition'.

"Well, that's rubbish. FIFA have no legal basis to act upon this. It's about time countries came before club.

"FIFA say they are trying to help all football bodies in the world.

"Oceania is treated by FIFA as a poor relation and it's about time that type of thing started to stop."

Knop expects Soccer Australia to ignore the recommendation completely and also claims he has the support of the French federation to do so.