Soccer-Australia's Holman retires from internationals

SYDNEY, April 30 (Reuters) - Socceroos attacking midfielder Brett Holman announced his retirement from international soccer on Wednesday, giving up any chance of representing Australia at a second successive World Cup. The 30-year-old, who won 63 caps, was Australian Footballer of the Year in 2012 ago but his stock fell after he was frozen out at Premier League club Aston Villa and moved to play in the United Arab Emirates. A hard-running midfielder with a rasping shot, Holman vindicated his selection for the 2010 World Cup finals with a superb winner in the game against Serbia and was considered a likely pick for this year's tournament in Brazil. Given the timing of his announcement, it would not be a major surprise if he had been given an indication by Australia coach Ange Postecoglou that he was not likely to figure in the 23-man squad for the June 12-July 13 tournament. "Over the past six months, circumstances have led me to re-think my international career and I have made the difficult decision to step aside from my role with the Socceroos," Holman said in a statement released by his management company. "My priorities lie with my young family, and my focus from now on will be with my club Al Nasr. The players that I've played with and the staff of the Socceroos have been fantastic and I have made some great friendships that I'll have for a lifetime. "I'd like to wish the current playing group every success, and I look forward to seeing them do the whole nation proud in Brazil and beyond." LATE EQUALISER Holman made his debut for Australia against Bahrain in 2006 and featured in his country's 2007 and 2011 Asian Cup campaigns as well as in qualifying for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. In South Africa four years ago, Holman played in all three games and scored two of his country's three goals - including the 25-yard thunderbolt that gave the Socceroos a 2-1 win over Serbia as Australia bowed out in the group stage. He proved his importance again last March in Sydney when his late equaliser helped Australia come from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Oman and keep their World Cup campaign just about on track. When Postecoglou succeeded Holger Osieck as coach last year, he promised to give youth its chance and Holman, who turned 30 last month, looks to have become the latest victim of that policy. Postecoglou, already without attacking midfielder Robbie Kruse for Brazil through injury, has an in-form option for the role in Ben Halloran, who scored for a fourth game in a row for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the German second flight last weekend. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by John O'Brien)