Australian-based Socceroos squad members are out to stake their claim for spots in next week's opening World Cup qualifier, warning the team's overseas stars will find it hard to hop off a plane and perform.

The 20 A-League members of the 39-man squad arrived in Melbourne on Monday and will start training together on Tuesday for Wednesday week's Telstra Dome clash with Qatar, the start of Australia's 2010 qualification attempt.

Most of the overseas-based players are expected to jet in early next week, after playing for their clubs on the weekend.

"It's going to be difficult, stepping off a flight for Europe and expecting to back up for a game after two days, it's hard," Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson said.

"But a lot of the players have done it before ... I'm sure they would love to come back and put in 100 per cent."

Thompson tipped many of the overseas contingent would end up skipping the trip and said the difficulties involved made a good case for picking a significant proportion of A-League players.

"I think so, it's obviously going to be hard with jetlag and when you've got players here in Australia that are still quite fit, just finished their season," Thompson said.

"But at the end of the day it's up to (Socceroos coach) Pim (Verbeek)."

Victory skipper Kevin Muscat also noted the drawbacks of players making long-haul flights close to game day.

"There's no doubt that it does affect you," he said.

"Whether it affects you a day later or two days later, all the boys have games three or four days later after leaving as well, so at some stage whether it's the Qatar game or for club games the jetlag will have some effect."

Muscat said players who had even minor injury niggles would be reluctant to come.

"The slightest of knocks keeps you off a flight because of bleeding and all that sort of stuff," he said.

He was confident the A-League group could do the job, if called on.

"All this week decisions have to be made about who comes back and how many come back," Muscat said.

"It gives (the Australian-based players) an opportunity, a full week of training twice a day to impress the boss."

Thompson was desperate to make an early impression on the new coach.

"With the Socceroos I've only had little stints here and there," he said.

"I just want him to be able to give me the chance to just show something and hopefully I can prove myself that I should be always in the squad and a chance to always make that starting XI."

Newcastle striker Joel Griffiths, who scored an A-League record 12 goals in the regular season and added another in his side's major semi-final first leg victory over Central Coast on Sunday night, was also out to grab Verbeek's attention.

"It's important to obviously impress the new boss coming in," he said.

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