Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo has defended the A-League Men club's decision not to release defender Curtis Good for a late Socceroos call-up.
Football Australia were hoping to add Good to the national team's squad for Thursday's must-win World Cup qualifier against Japan in Sydney after Kye Rowles was a late withdrawal due to COVID-19.
But City refused to release the 28-year-old on short notice on the grounds he had not been on a 50-man longlist of players in contention for national team selection issued to clubs several weeks ago.
Former Socceroo Kisnorbo said it was perfectly acceptable for the club to deny the request, especially given they had already lost four players in Jamie Maclaren, Mathew Leckie, Connor Metcalfe and Marco Tilio to national team duties.
"It's easy. I think you've got to look at it like this, the national team setup - whoever selects the team - can pick whoever they want, right, and they have an extended squad," Kisnorbo said.
"Curtis's name wasn't on that extended squad for whatever reason, it's not my decision, I'm not the coach.
"Whoever picked it maybe thought Curtis wasn't right for the team but then after that, if you're not selected on the extended squad then it's up to the club whether they decide to let him go or not and legally we don't have to.
"We let four go and there was a couple of names as well on that that didn't get picked ... but his name wasn't on there so rule's a rule and we followed that rule."
Kisnorbo said Good was comfortable as well with the club's call despite it denying him the chance to add to his two Socceroos caps.
City claimed a significant 2-1 come-from-behind triumph over Brisbane on Wednesday without their Socceroos quartet or captain Scott Jamieson (back) or defender Nuno Reis (COVID-19).
While Reis will again be unavailable for Saturday's trip to face Macarthur, Kisnorbo said the league-leaders could potentially have Jamieson back for the Bulls clash.
"We need to monitor him and see how he goes," Kisnorbo said.
"It's a day-by-day scenario."
