While World Cup qualification has dominated recent headlines with Australia safely booked on a plane to South Africa, the road to the 2011 Asian Cup is less certain.

Australia have made a spluttering start to qualification but Neill believes the next round of
Asian Cup qualifiers are an important chance for players to make a strong push for inclusion in both tournaments.

"There's qualification games on the way and there'll be great games because we'll use them as preparation for the World Cup," Neill told au.fourfourtwo.com. "The biggest and strongest team will play and they'll be playing for a spot in the 23-man squad (for the World Cup)."

Neill has not forgotten Australia's disappointing exit from their first taste of the Asian Cup in 2007 and is keen to do better next time out.

He added: "That's great and ultimately that should see us qualifying for the Asian Cup, put behind us the disappointment of the last one (2007) take on the rest of Asia and hopefully to become champions of Asia."

Australia's next Asian Cup qualifier is against Oman in October. So far the Socceroos have managed a goalless draw with Indonesia and lost 1-0 at home to Kuwait.

Meanwhile his former West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola seems to shut the door on a possible return to the club for Neill, his former captain but now without a job after protracted talks broke down repeatedly.

"He was in talks with West Ham, then I find out he was in talks with Galatasaray and with Sunderland. Now I don't know what's going on," said Zola.

"But he's out, and that's no good for him. For the moment, he's not our priority in that position."