25-player squad chosen for Qantas Young Socceroos camp
Qantas Young Socceroos Head Coach Jan Versleijen has selected a 25-player squad for a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from Monday 23 - Friday 27 March as part of his team’s preparation for the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Qantas Young Socceroos Head Coach Jan Versleijen has selected a 25-player squad for a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from Monday 23 - Friday 27 March as part of his team-s preparation for the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Mitch Nichols will return to Canberra having collected his first Qantas Socceroo cap against Kuwait earlier this month, along with Ben Kantarovski who was part of the same Socceroos squad, but did not take the field.
Jason Hoffman returns to the squad having missed the AFC U-19 Championships last year through injury, whilst Mark Birighitti, Matthew Theodore, Sean Rooney, Chris Payne, Brodie Mooy, Rhyan Grant, Kofi Danning, Josh McVey, Jason Davidson, Luke Bratten and Osama Malik all receive their first call up for the Qantas Young Socceroos.
The majority of the squad have been selected from the Hyundai A-League and National Youth League playing ranks with the exception of Jason Davidson who plays for Hume City in the Victorian Premier League having recently returned to Australia after playing in Japan for Seiritsu Gakuen (JEF United feeder club). Jason-s father is former Socceroo Alan Davidson who played 51 A-Internationals in the Green and Gold from 1980-1991 and was also a Young Socceroo in 1979.
“This is the first training camp that we will have together since qualifying for the World Cup,” said Versleijen.
“I have also invited some new players into the camp to see how they can fit in and possibly add something new and different to the group.
“It is a little over 6 months from the first match of the tournament and we will be looking to make a selection then build on that selection for our campaign.
“We will be holding more training camps in the coming months in Australia and overseas which will also include the foreign-based players to help strengthen the playing group," concluded Versleijen.
The Qantas Young Socceroos qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup by progressing to the semi-final stage at the AFC U-19 Championships in Saudi Arabia last year.
24-nations will compete at this year-s tournament which will be held in Egypt from 24 September to 16 October. Australia, Korea Republic, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan will be representing Asia, while Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa coming from Africa along with the host nation Egypt. European qualifiers are the Czech Republic, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Spain, whilst Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela will be there from South America and Tahiti will represent Oceania.
The official draw for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009 will be held at Luxor, Egypt on Sunday 5th April at 8pm (4am AEST Monday 6th April).
For more information regarding the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009, please go to www.fifa.com/u20worldcup
Qantas Young Socceroos Squad List AIS Training Camp, Canberra, ACT 23 - 27 March 2009
Mark Birighitti (Adelaide United), Luke Brattan (Queensland Roar), James Brown (Gold Coast United), Isaka Cernak (Queensland Roar), Kofi Danning (Sydney FC), Jason Davidson (Hume City, VPL), Luke DeVere (Queensland Roar), Nathan Elasi (Melbourne Victory), Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Jason Hoffman (Newcastle Jets), Matthew Jurman (Sydney FC), Ben Kantarovski (Newcastle Jets), Osama Malik (Adelaide United), Joshua McVey (Queensland Roar), Tahj Minniecon (Queensland Roar), Brodie Mooy (Newcastle Jets), Sam Munro (Sydney FC), Mitch Nichols (Queensland Roar), Thomas Oar (Queensland Roar), Chris Payne (Sydney FC), Andrew Redmayne (Central Coast Mariners), Sean Rooney (Newcastle Jets), Sebastian Ryall (Melbourne Victory), Matthew Theodore (Melbourne Victory), Nik Tsattalios (Newcastle Jets).