Griffiths must take chances

Socceroos ... training ahead of the Ghana clash. Gregg Porteous

The A-League Player of the Year gets his chance after being spurned since Verbeek`s opening training camps in February, and the coach made it clear that Griffiths has to grab the opportunity with both hands.

Verbeek also said the friendly at the SFS was entirely about the performance of the team and individuals rather than the result.

Griffiths has a golden opportunity to impress, especially as he will be joined in a frontline by a fired-up Harry Kewell and Mile Sterjovski.

The striker`s on-loan move to Japanese side Avispa Fukuoka for the off-season has paid dividends and Verbeek has given him the nod to start against Ghana.

"He`s fit and you can see he`s playing games. That`s the good part," Verbeek said.

"Joel will always be the type of player who will create his own chances and score goals. That`s his quality, so on Friday he will start and get the chance to show (what he can do). It`s showtime."

Griffiths isn`t the only member of the side with something to prove and even as Verbeek confirmed he knew the bulk of his line-up, he pointed to their last training session as an opportunity for players to force his hand.

"I hope they are football intelligent enough to see from training what we are going to do," he said.

"Of course we will try to win. But, for me, it`s about the players, some of whom have to show themselves in a very tough game. Ghana is one of the best teams in Africa."

Despite Mark Schwarzer`s arrival being delayed, the Middlesbrough No.1 will start unless he tells the coach he isn`t ready.

Jason Culina has recovered so well from a thigh strain that he is in contention for a spot, despite ruling himself out earlier in the week.

"I think maybe he`ll change his mind," Verbeek said.

"When we started the camp we knew he didn`t have any training for four or five weeks. He`s a player who doesn`t need (warm-up) games because he`s coming into the team and immediately knows what he has to do."

The languid elegance of tyro centreback Matthew Spiranovic looks set to earn him game time, with Verbeek admitting he likes what he has seen.

"He`s a good player, skilful," he said. "Tactically, most of his decisions are good. Maybe he`s still a bit too shy but we cannot blame him for that.

"He`s young and just coming into the squad."

With a large squad likely to be taken on the World Cup roadshow to Brisbane, the Middle East and back to Sydney, many of the players in camp this week have at least some part to play.

"I`m very pleased with the fitness of the players and it`s good also to have (new) players with me. I didn`t have Sterjovski (in camp) before, or Spiranovic," he said.

"I still think it`s a very good experience for the younger boys to train and gain experience with the big boys.

"You can feel in the group that they know what they have to do and they all want to go to the World Cup."