DANNY Tiatto is racing back across the globe to claim his place in Manchester City's starting line up against Rotherham on Saturday.

The Aussie midfielder ought to still have been celebrating his country's World Cup play-off win over Uruguay and readying himself for a trip to South America but instead headed for the airport and the long flight home.

Tiatto, the Blues reigning player-of-the season, is still smarting from the news that he had a wasted trip back home thanks to an almighty administrative blunder which ought to have been spotted long before he left.

Socceroos coach Frank Farina picked Tiatto for his squad believing that the player had served his automatic three match ban for being sent-off against New Zealand earlier in the qualifying competition.

However, the red-faced Australian FA apparently failed to take into account that suspensions cannot be served via friendly games, otherwise clubs and countries would be organising matches every day of the week.

FIFA, world football's governing body, firmly pointed out the error on the eve of yesterday morning's game in Melbourne and Tiatto was on his way back.

''I don't know where the misunderstanding has come from but the rules are clear,'' said a FIFA spokesman.

Blame

City, however, are positive that the blame for the unfortunate mix up, which cost Tiatto him his place in the defeat at Portsmouth last Saturday, lies fairly and squarely at the door of the Australians.

''Danny is on his way back and will be available not only for Saturday's game but the cup tie at Blackburn next Wednesday, too. From that point of view we will have to make a plus out of a minus,'' reflected the Blues boss.

''It's difficult to know whose job it is to verify these things. We have to assume Australia know what they are doing when they call him up but there is no point crying over spilt milk.

''I think we are blameless in this situation but we will now put checks in place so this cannot possibly happen again.

''At club level I make sure every week that I know who will be missing through suspension but it is not our responsibility to do that at international level.

''We have a board meeting today and it will be discussed in full. I feel sorry for everyone in this - for Australia, for us and most importantly for Danny. I think the good news is that he can come and play games for us. We hope that Australia go on to qualify for his sake.

''Our plan now is to get him home as quickly as possible, check out that he is fine and get him in the side for Saturday.''