Australia Under-23 coach Frank Farina today announced his Australia Under-23s (Olympic) team squad for the international match against Tunisia to be played in the Tunisian city of Monastir next Wednesday 28 April 2004 (2.00pm local Tunisian time).
The squad comprises 8 players from the recently completed National Soccer League season, including recent Socceroo debutantes Ahmad Elrich and Nick Carle, while Adelaide United midfielder Fred Agius (pictured above) is a first time inclusion at Under-23 national team level. Not considered on injury grounds were Ljubo Milicevic and David Tarka.
Coach Frank Farina said, "This is another important step for the Under-23 players as we continue to prepare them for Athens 2004, especially as the Tunisians will provide us with a different style of play to some of the other countries we have faced at this level.
"Tunisia has already qualified for the Olympic Games, so I will be really looking forward to how we measure up against them and how the boys handle the Tunisians. All in all it is another good match confirmed by ASA and we will be looking to get a result," said Frank Farina.
The full 19-man squad is: -
AGIUS Fred - Adelaide United FC - AUSTRALIA
BROSQUE Alex - Marconi Stallions FC - AUSTRALIA
CANSDELL-SHERRIFF Shane - Aarhus GF - DENMARK
CARLE Nick - Marconi Stallions FC - AUSTRALIA
DILEVSKI Spase - Rot-Weiss Essen - GERMANY
EDDS Gareth - Bradford City FC - ENGLAND
ELRICH Ahmad - Parramatta Power SC - AUSTRALIA
GALEKOVIC Eugen - South Melbourne FC - AUSTRALIA
GRIFFITHS Ryan - Newcastle United - AUSTRALIA
JONES Brad - Middlesbrough FC - ENGLAND
KISNORBO Patrick - Heart of Midlothian - SCOTLAND
MACALLISTER Dylan - SK Brann - NORWAY
MADASCHI Adrian - Partick Thistle - SCOTLAND
MCDONALD Scott - Motherwell FC - SCOTLAND
MCKAIN Jonathan - FC National Bucuresti - ROMANIA
NORTH Jade - Perth Glory - AUSTRALIA
THWAITE Michael - Marconi Stallions FC - AUSTRALIA
WILKSHIRE Luke - Bristol City - ENGLAND
VALERI Carl - Internazionale Milan FC - ITALY
For player profiles, please go to the ASA website and click on National Teams, then Under-23s and the profiles option in the 'select other information' drop-box - or click here: -
http://www.australiansoccer.com.au/public/Contact/list.asp?ContactTypeID=61&categoryTypeid=2&categoryid=29&lvl=3&menuItemID=323
The match will be played at the 20,000 capacity Ben Jannet Stadium, with the stadium having been built for the recently completed 2004 African Nation Cup of Nations, which was won by the host nation when they defeated Morocco 2-1 in the final.
The game continues the national Under-23 team's build-up towards this year's football tournament at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and follows the team's qualification in January. The Australia Under-23 team won the Oceania qualifying tournament after defeating New Zealand 3-1 on aggregate in the tournament final and most recently drew 0-0 in Greece in late March.
The Under-23 side played in Tunisia twice in November 1999 as part of their preparations for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games recording a 1-0 win and a 1-1 draw. The Socceroos have also previously played in Tunisia winning 3-0 in October 1997.
Following the Tunisian match a 20-man two-week camp will be convened at the Australian Institute of Sport for Australian-based Under-23 players only, concentrating on a fitness program.
The men's football tournament at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games will be held between 11 August and 28 August 2004, with the group draw for the tournament due to be staged on 9 June 2004.