Out-going Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni has announced his final squad for the upcoming East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) Preliminary Competition Round 2.
Sermanni has named a 20-player squad for the three-match qualifying tournament for the 2013 EAFF Women’s East Asian Cup, the last of his tenure in the Matildas top job before he takes up his new position with the US Women’s National Team as their Head Coach next year.
With Canberra United also set to participate at the International Women’s Club Championship 2012 in Japan during the same period in November, Sermanni has chosen a strong squad from the W-League consisting of a rich vein of emerging talent including Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Brianna Davey as well as proven performers Kate Gill (WAIS), Lisa De Vanna, Clare Polkinghorne and Collette McCallum (WAIS).
“While I may be departing following these matches, achieving qualification for this important Asian tournament is key to the ongoing development of the team as part of their preparations for the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada,” said Sermanni.
“I’ve been privileged to work with such a wide range of exceptional talent over the past eight years from Di Alagich, Joey Peters and Cheryl Salisbury through to Sally Shipard, Kate Gill and Collette McCallum in more recent years.
“The continued progress of this fantastic array of emerging talent we currently have in our squad is key to our future success; integrating these players with the senior players will put Australia in a formidable position for the next period of their development, concluded Sermanni.
The depth of the Matildas will be on show in this tournament with Sermanni unable to select some key players for his final tournament including captain Melissa Barbieri (pregnant), Heather Garriock (maternity leave), Lydia Williams, Ashley Brown, Lauren Colthorpe, Kim Carroll, Danielle Brogan (all injured), Elise Kellond-Knight and Aivi Luik (both returning from injury this weekend in the W-League), and Canberra United pair Michelle Heyman and Sally Shipard who will be in Japan for the International Women’s Club Championship.
The Matildas depart on 16 November from their home cities for the EAFF Women’s East Asian Cup 2013 Preliminary Competition Round 2 which runs from 20-24 November, 2012.
– FFA
