Van der Vaart left out in the cold by Dutch coach

Dutch vice-captain Rafael van der Vaart’s miserable season continued on Wednesday when he was left out of the national squad for the friendly with Australia in Sydney on October 10.

The 26-year-old – capped 71 times – has not played at all for his club Real Madrid all season and Dutch national coach Bert van Marwijk decided that it was not worth selecting him for the trip to take on their fellow 2010 World Cup finals qualifiers.

Veteran Mark van Bommel was also not picked as the Bayern Munich hardman midfielder is injured.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht), Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse Arnhem)

Defenders: Edson Braafheid (Bayern Munich/GER), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton/ENG), Glenn Loovens (Celtic/SCO), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg/GER), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Orlando Engelaar (PSV Eindhoven), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City/ENG), David Mendes da Silva (AZ Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan/ITA), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax)

Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool/ENG), Eljero Elia (Hamburg/GER), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan/ITA), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool/ENG), Robin van Persie (Arsenal/ENG), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich/GER)