U/17 Women's play 'Future Stars' tournament in NZ

Former Australian championship winning coach Gary Phillips and current Australian captain Cheryl Salisbury will lead the next generation of Matildas when the Australian Under 17 Women's national team compete over the coming week at the 'Future Stars' tournament in Auckland.

Former Australian championship winning coach Gary Phillips and current Australian captain Cheryl Salisbury will lead the next generation of Matildas when the Australian Under 17 Women's national team compete over the coming week at the 'Future Stars' tournament in Auckland.

It is the first Australian national team appointment for both, with head coach Phillips, who won National League titles with Sydney Olympic in 2002 and Brisbane Strikers in 1997 currently in charge of the women's program at the New South Wales Institute based in Newcastle. Australia's most capped player (male or female), Salisbury, will be the team's assistant coach.

The Australian team will face the top two ranked nations in the women's game, Germany and the USA, plus host nation New Zealand in the four-nation tournament, to be held from 29 January to 2 February. Australia will meet the USA on Tuesday, world champions Germany on Thursday with the final match against New Zealand on Saturday.

Australia's 18-strong squad features three players who have already played for the Matildas, with midfielder Tameka Butt and attacking duo, Jenna Kingsley and Kyah Simon.

A captain has not been appointed however the team will have a leadership group of Casey Dumont, Butt and Simon.

Australian Under 17 Women's National team squad:

Goalkeepers - Casey Dumont (Gold Coast), Nicole Calder (Adelaide)

Defenders - Vedrana Popovic (Brisbane), Nicola Bolger (Sydney), Ruth Wallace (Adelaide)

Midfielders - Sophie Hogben (Brisbane), Linda O'Neill (Sydney), Samantha Kerr (Perth), Tameka Butt (Gold Coast), Ella Mastrantonio (Perth), Marianna Tabain (Perth), Rachel Wynne (Newcastle), Emily van Egmond (Newcastle), Teigan Allen (Sydney), Alesha Clifford (Sydney)

Forwards - Tara Andrews (Sydney), Jenna Kingsley (Sydney), Kyah Simon (Sydney)

The Australian Under 17 Women's national team will commence their 2010 World Cup campaign late this year.