A powerhouse on the right side of midfield, Emerton has struggled to make his mark since moving to England in the summer of 2003 to join Blackburn Rovers. Had previously been linked with the likes of Manchester United while impressing for Feyenoord, helping the Dutch club win the UEFA Cup during his time in Rotterdam. Emerton has scored only a handful of goals in more than a century of Premiership appearances for Rovers, but has continued to be an automatic first choice for the Socceroos. Made his international bow in February 1998 against Chile and will be in the staring eleven to face Japan unless coach Guus Hiddink has a radical rethink.