Qantas Young Socceroos head coach Paul Okon has selected a 20-player squad for the AFF U19 tournament 2012, which will be played in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from 2–8 September 2012.
Qantas Young Socceroos head coach Paul Okon has selected a 20-player squad for the AFF U19 tournament 2012, which will be played in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from 2- 8 September 2012.
The Qantas Young Socceroos will line up against IR Iran, Vietnam and Uzbekistan in the competition as part of their preparations for the AFC U-19 Championship in the United Arab Emirates in November, which will also serve as the qualifiers for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Turkey next June/July.
Sixteen players from Hyundai A-League clubs make up the majority of the squad, with notable inclusions Terry Antonis (Sydney FC), new Western Sydney Wanderers FC signing Reece Caira and Adelaide United duo Paul Izzo and Jake Barker-Daish.
Ryan Edwards, who plies his trade at Reading FC, joins the squad as the only overseas-based player and will meet up with the team in Vietnam.
Okon is keen to use the tournament as another opportunity for his squad to get some much needed international match experience for the campaign to qualify for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“This will be a very good tournament for us to get a good indication of where we are at in our preparation against opposition that has also qualified for the AFC U-19 Championship,” Okon said.
“The players will also be a lot fitter than at the recent AFC U-22 Championship qualifiers in Indonesia and will be closer to the other team in terms of conditioning.
“This will also be the last occasion that we will be without our overseas based players so it is also an opportunities for the Australia-based players to stake a claim for final selection,” Okon said.
Prior to the AFF U-19 tournament, the Qantas Young Socceroos will also play a friendly match against a combined Hong Kong U-21/U-19 National Team on Wednesday 29 August at Mongkok Stadium (Kick-Off 7.30pm local, 9:30pm AEST).
Qantas Young Socceroos Squad - AFF U19 tournament 2012, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2-8 September 2012
Terry Antonis, Sydney FC Jake Barker-Daish, Adelaide United Josh Brillante, Newcastle Jets Corey Brown, Brisbane Roar Reece Caira, Western Sydney Wanderers Connor Chapman, Newcastle Jets Mitch Cooper, Newcastle Jets Ryan Edwards, Reading FC, United Kingdom Ben Garuccio, AIS Jason Geria, Brisbane Roar Hagi Gligor, Sydney FC Paul Izzo (G/K), Adelaide United Jesse Makarounas, Perth Glory Nick Munro (G/K), Croydon Kings, SA State League Luke O-Dea, Bentleigh Greens, Victorian Premier League Brandon O-Neill, Perth Glory Daniel Petkovski, Sydney FC Adam Taggart, Newcastle Jets Riley Woodcock, Perth Glory David Vrankovic, Melbourne Heart