Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH wunderkind Adam Taggart has been named in the Socceroos’ extended 30-man squad for the World Cup.

The 20-year-old Newcastle Jets striker won the Golden Boot after scoring 16 goals in a breakout 2013-14 A-League season.

Before moving to the NSW outfit, he played for Perth Glory from 2010-12, making 10 appearances.

Football West CEO Peter Hugg says Taggart has a chance of making the final World Cup squad: “He’s now got a friendly and a two week training camp in which he can make a claim to go to Brazil—he’s certainly in the mix,” he says. “We’re delighted for Adam but at the same time feel for players like Rhys Williams who have missed out because of injury.”

Taggart has four international caps, receiving his first at an EAFF East Asian Cup qualifying tournament in Hong Kong in December 2012.

Australia will play South Africa in a friendly in Sydney on May 26 before departing for Brazil two days later. The final 23-man squad will be announced June 2.  Australia’s official World Cup slogan is Socceroos: Hopping Our Way Into History.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK