Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink will have the final say on whether Australia reschedules its first leg World Cup playoff against Uruguay in Montevideo to accommodate the host nation.

Uruguay, the final obstacle in Australia's path to the 2006 soccer World Cup in Germany, has urged the Socceroos to bring forward by a day the World Cup first leg play-off.

But Football Federation Australia boss John O'Neill said Hiddink would decide on the matter when they contact him in Italy, where his club side PSV Eindhoven take on AC Milan in a Champions' League clash.

"He (Hiddink) is a coach who has his own mind, we've been planning for some time now for those dates," O'Neill said.

"So sitting here today it is probably unlikely (they will change) but Uruguay requested the consideration, as has FIFA, so we will look at it."

Uruguay formally requested the Montevideo leg on November 12 be brought forward one day to allow extra travelling time before the second leg in Sydney on November 16.

O'Neill added the Uruguayans would be treated with the utmost fairness and courtesy for the return leg.

The FFA chief said he didn't expect a repetition of the ugly and intimidatory behaviour by some of the Uruguayans which confronted the Socceroos in that country four years ago.

"We will comply with absolute fair play and be above board. We will not contemplate stooping to silly tactics or bad behaviour," O'Neill said.

"When the Uruguayans come here, FFA and FIFA will attend to the airport, transport, accommodation and training facilities, that is absolutely consistent with the spirit of fair play and I'm sure we are not going to see a repeat of some of the unfortunate incidents of 2001.

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