Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has kept the door ajar for Mark Viduka to again turn out for the national team. The Dutch tactician believes the former Newcastle United striker, who is currently a free agent, can still make an impact at international level but only if he finds a club and plays regular first team football leading into next year's World Cup.

"Mark is very important for the national team; however, saying that, he has not once been in my selection," Verbeek said, quoted by www.fifa.com.

"That is because of injuries, not because I did not want him.

"I think his only motivation to play football is to go to the World Cup," Verbeek continued.

"The door is open. It is not because he is Mark Viduka, but because he is a good player.

"He has ten months to show me he is good enough."

Viduka was recently linked with Portsmouth but a potential was thwarted because of the imminent takeover of the south coast club.