Both Socceroos veterans have been omitted from Osieck's 19-man squad for the upcoming friendly against Malaysia followed by the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Oman four days later.

Since Kewell signed for Melbourne Victory and Emerton for Sydney, there has been intense speculation over whether they would be available to play in the A-League's opening weekend blockbuster Sydney v Victory clash.

The fixture is the day after the Malaysia game and three days before the Oman tie, creating a club v country row in parts of the media, and suggestions Osieck was under pressure from the FFA.

But today Osieck insisted he had been solely repsonsible for the decision to drop the pair from the Socceroos squad to be free for the big A-League showpiece.

"I can assure you I am the master of my own decisions," he said today. "It's written down in my contract and I can always refer to that.

"I don't need a lawyer - I'm capable of defending my position myself. People obviously interpreted a lot into the situation which was not necessarily on.

"If I insisted then the league had no chance but to release the players. But I outlined the technical reasons why I didn't pick Harry or Emo.

"I don't care what happens in November, if the players are in shape and if they are good enough they will be invited.

"I don't care what club commitments they have then, the league has to solve the problem and not the national team coach."

Asked if Emerton was a chance to be called into the squad if a player picked up an injury in the Malaysia game, Osieck said: "I don't consider a camp like a shop with a revolving door that everybody can come in and out whenever he wants.

"It's a closed affair and I'm very strict and very adamant in how things go. It won't happen. We start the game together with that group of 19 players and we go through it.

"I'm confident that even if there was an occurrence with injury i have enough opportunities to use players in different positions where they can equally perform on a decent level."

Osieck spelled out why he ahd decided give the two veteran stars a free pass the upcoming matched.

"Let's go to Harry for instance," he said. "I had a very good chat with him a couple of weeks ago when he returned to Australia.

"I made it perfectly clear that he needs to get his feet on the ground first of all.That I will give him the opportunity to settle in to the new environment.

"Considering the fact, we have to face it, that he hasn't played a competitive game since early May, so I think he fully agreed that he needed the time, he needs the opportunity to adapt to the new challenge.

"It's going to be a big one. We all know what the public demands from him. I think he needs the time to get into the rhythm.

"Come the November games, I definitely think he should be in a position to be back in the squad by then."

Osieck said Emerton was in a similar situation at Sydney but admitted he was doing Emmo a favour by letting him stay with his new club side.

"He played his last competitive game in Sqaudi and by the time we play he's been out for four weeks," he said. "I think there a lot of other things coming on to him.

"I decided to give him, like Harry, the opportunity to get settled in his new environment. I don't want to overstress him and I think it is the best solution from my point of view.

"I am very comfortable with that. I think I do him a favour if I don't call him in for that game."