The Socceroos have no excuses after a perfect preparation for the Asian Cup, coach Ange Postecoglou says.
Postecoglou gave his squad a day off training on Tuesday while he ponders who will feature in his side for Friday night's tournament opener against Kuwait in Melbourne.
"We've had a good couple of weeks in training and you just sense the excitement now building and certainly the players feel it," Postecoglou said on Tuesday.
"Everyone is fit and healthy, which is the most important thing.
"There is keen competition for places which is great from a coach's perspective. The next 48 hours we will make some final decisions."
Postecoglou was at Melbourne's AAMI Park for a media event with Victorian Major Events Minister John Eren - but both were among hundreds evacuated from the stadium.
The duo had been in the stadium for just minutes, watching performers rehearse for the opening ceremony, when evacuation sirens sounded.
The pair, performers, workers and media were ushered out of the stadium with a false alarm to blame.
The minister and Postecoglou were forced to hold their media conference outside the venue, with the coach describing Friday night's encounter with Kuwait as Australia's most important game of the cup.
"Regardless of the opposition, the first game is always the most important," Postecoglou said.
"We have spent a lot of time analysing them but just as much time making sure we're prepared.
"To be honest, the boys can't wait for Friday night.
"We have been on the road for 12 months. To walk out to a sell-out crowd on Friday night, it's going to make the boys feel a couple of feet taller and I can't wait to get the game started."
Australia, runner-up to Japan four years ago, are bidding to win the cup for the first time.
And Postecoglou was mindful that any Socceroos success could change the sporting landscape in Australia.
"The impact that it can have will be far reaching, particularly if we have a successful tournament," he said.
"Even if things don't pan out for us, once people see the talent that is coming through this country and the quality of the footballers - there are going to be some fantastic stories played out and some fantastic matches no doubt.
"I think it will capture the imagination.
"I'm hoping at the end of this month that football becomes even a bigger part of that landscape.
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