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National Youth coach Ange Postecoglou has named his 20-man squad to compete in January's Oceania qualifying tournament in Honiara for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. The squad features five overseas-based players with the remaining 15 players currently in Australia.
Three players in the squad are yet to make their debut for the Qantas Young Socceroos - goalkeeper Chris O'Connor of Irish club Bray Wanderers, midfielder Jordan Simpson of NSW Premier League club St George and 16-year-old striker David Williams. Queenslander Williams has been promoted to the squad following his performances with the Qantas Joeys on their recent two-week tour of the United States. Also in the squad are recent Hyundai A-League signings Jacob Timpano (pictured) and Mark Milligan of Sydney FC, Newcastle United Jets midfielder Stuart Musialik and Nick Ward of Perth Glory.
The Qantas Young Socceroos have been drawn alongside New Caledonia, Tonga and Vanuatu in Group A of the nine-team qualifying tournament with the top two from each group to progress to the semi finals and the winner of the tournament to represent Oceania at June's FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. Group B will be contested by hosts the Solomon Islands, American Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa.
"I'm quite happy with the way the squad's coming together. Most of the players in this squad have spent some decent preparation time together as a unit with our squad going to South America last month, the home series against Chile in September and prior to that the trip to Belgium and France back in April. We will go into the qualifiers quietly confident of success."
The 20-man Qantas Young Socceroos squad to compete in the qualifiers is:
Goalkeepers
Chris O'Connor (Bray Wanderers, Republic of Ireland)
Danny Vukovic (Bonnyrigg White Eagles, NSW)
Defenders
Aaron Downes (Chesterfield, England)
Adrian Leijer (Victorian Institute of Sport)
Trent McClenahan (West Ham, England)
Mark Milligan (Sydney FC - Blacktown City, NSW)
Jacob Timpano (Sydney FC - Wollongong Wolves, NSW)
Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Belconnen Blue Devils, ACT)
Midfielders
Billy Celeski (Bulleen Zebras, Vic)
Spase Dilevski (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
Frank Lagana (Empoli, Italy)
Vince Lia (uncontracted, Vic)
Stuart Musialik (Newcastle United Jets)
Kristian Sarkies (Victorian Institute of Sport)
Jordan Simpson (St George, NSW)
Chris Tadrosse (Blacktown City Demons, NSW)
Forwards
Mark Bridge (Parramatta Eagles, NSW)
Jay Lucas (Marconi Stallions, NSW)
Nick Ward (Perth Glory, WA)
David Williams (Queensland Academy of Sport)
Stand-by players
Matt Danskin (Fremantle City, WA)
Ben Griffin (Queensland Lions)
David Hughes (Queensland Lions)
Keegan Wolfenden (Central Coast United, NSW)
The full match schedule for the Oceania qualifying tournament is:
Australia v New Caledonia
Saturday 22 January - 2pm
Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara
Australia v Tonga
Monday 24 January - 4.15pm
Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara
Australia v Vanuatu
Wednesday 26 January - 2pm
Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara
Semi Finals
Saturday 29 January
Winner Group A v Runner Up Group B - 2pm
Winner Group B v Runner Up Group A - 4.15pm
Final and third Place Play-off
Monday 31 January
3rd place play-off - 1.30pm
Final - 4pm
The Qantas Young Socceroos reached the second round at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates, defeating eventual winners Brazil before being knocked out by the host nation.
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship will be held in The Netherlands from 10 June - 2 July.