ASA: National Youth Coach Ange Postecoglou has announced Australia’s squad that will compete at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship to be held next month in the United Arab Emirates. The squad features six overseas-based players and 14 players from the National Soccer League.
The only new face in the squad is Newcastle United midfielder Jobe Wheelhouse with all other players having played for the Qantas Young Socceroos during the Oceania qualifying campaign last December. Wheelhouse and Alex Brosque (pictured right) were included in the squad, depsite missing last week’s two-match series in the United Arab Emirates with injury.
Mile Jedinak (pictured front), Mark Milligan and Steve Pantelidis and Anthony Danze, who all featured in the Under 20’s for the first time in the UAE, have also made the final 20-man squad.
The 20-man Australian Under-20 Squad is: –
Goalkeepers:
Nathan Coe (Inter Milan, Italy), Tom Willis (Newcastle United)
Defenders:
Alex Wilkinson (Northern Spirit), Mark Milligan (Northern Spirit), David Tarka (Nottingham Forest, England), Wayne Heath (Brisbane Strikers), Steve Pantelidis (Melbourne Knights)
Midfielders:
Spase Dilevski (Rot Weiss Essen, Germany), Massimo Murdocca (South Melbourne), Carl Valeri (Inter Milan, Italy), Matthew McKay (Brisbane Strikers), Jobe Wheelhouse (Newcastle United), Jonathon Richter (Northern Spirit), Dustin Wells (Wollongong Wolves), Vince Lia (South Melbourne), Mile Jedinak (Varteks, Croatia), Anthony Danze (Perth Glory)
Forwards:
Scott McDonald (Wimbledon, England), Alex Brosque (Marconi Stallions), Michael Baird (Sydney Olympic)
Stand-by Players:
David Carney (Dunfermline, Scotland), Mitchell Johnson (Newcastle United), Franco Parisi (Sydney United)
Prior to the 2003 FIFA World Your Championship the Qantas Young Socceroos will compete in a four team tournament in South Korea with matches against Colombia, Slovakia and the host nation, before a final match in Japan completes the pre-tournament schedule.
The full tour itinerary is as follows:
Sunday 2 November – Australian based players depart
Tuesday 4 November (4.30pm) – Australia v Colombia,
Suwon, South Korea (4 Nation Tournament)
Thursday 6 November (4.30pm) – Australia v Slovakia,
Suwon, South Korea (4 Nation Tournament)
Saturday 8 November (3pm) – South Korea v Australia,
Suwon, South Korea (4 Nation Tournament)
Wednesday 12 November – Japan v Australia,
Japan (Friendly International)
Friday 28 November (8.30pm) – Australia v Czech Republic,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (FIFA World Youth Championship)
Monday 1 December (5.45pm) – Australia v Canada,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (FIFA World Youth Championship)
Thursday 4 December (5.45pm) – Australia v Brazil,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (FIFA World Youth Championship)
(N.B. all times are local time)
The 24-team tournament will be held between November 27 – December 19 with Australia’s Group (Group C) to be played entirely in the Northern city of Dubai.
Australia qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship after winning the Oceania qualifying tournament in December last year.
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship was initially due to be held in March/April but was postponed due to the situation in the Middle East at the time.
Many of the current Qantas Socceroos have played at the tournament in the early part of their international careers. Players such as Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Craig Moore, Paul Okon as well as current national team coach Frank Farina have all helped Australia be one of the most successful nations at Under-20 level.
Australia is set to compete for the 11th time at the FIFA World Youth Championship having missed only three tournaments in the 26-year history of the competition.