Successful Men’s Talent ID camp wraps up in Netherlands

An Australia Men’s Talent Identification camp concluded in Netherlands on the weekend with twenty-two of Australia’s best young talents in the United Kingdom and Europe brought together to play two fixtures against Dutch youth sides.

Mentored by Football Australia’s Head of Technical Direction, Pathways & Coach Education, Trevor Morgan, with input and support from Socceroos greats Paul Okon and Craig Moore, the camp was designed to enable the young Australians to come together under the national team banner so that staff could assess the players in matches and provide them support in their burgeoning careers.

During their five days together in Netherlands, the Australia selection played two fixtures – the first against Jong FC Utrecht on Wednesday, and the second against Netherlands U19s on Friday.

Morgan was pleased with the efforts of the squad in both games, especially given it was a largely new group of players that came together in the Dutch town of Hoevelaken.

“Our objective was to go and monitor, go and assess the level of a number of players that are eligible for our U23s, but many also for our U20s,” Morgan said.

“We wanted to see the level of some of the boys that we haven’t seen for a while, however there were nine players that have never been in Australia camp before, so they all got the chance to play a little bit.”

“Paul Okon and Craig Moore were there for both of the games, and with them in and around camp it gave the players the chance to get some guidance as to what they can do next in their careers. We (Football Australia) wanted to show these players who are making their way in the UK and Europe some support and it was great to have the passion, experience, and presence of Paul and Craig around the team,” he said.

The youthful Australian side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Jong FC Utrecht in their first fixture and recorded a 2-2 draw against Netherlands U19 on Friday. Former Central Coast Mariners star Alou Kuol, who now plays his football in Germany, as well as Portugal-based midfielder Ryan Teague, formerly the captain of the Joeys at the FIFA U17 World Cup Brazil 2019, scored for Australia in Friday’s match.

With the Isuzu Ute A-League Men competition in full swing, no players from Australia were considered for the camp so that they could continue to compile match minutes in Australia’s top-flight. However, eligible players based in Australia, UK, Europe, and elsewhere will all be considered for Australia’s tilt at this year’s AFC U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.

Australia finished third at the last edition of the AFC U23 Asian Cup in Thailand in January 2020 to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Men’s Football Tournament.

This year’s edition of the AFC U23 Asian Cup does not serve as the qualifiers for the next Olympic Games, however will be an important tournament as some of Australia’s best young players strive to progress their game against elite Asian opposition.

Australia has been drawn in Group B for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2022 alongside Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan. Australia’s group phase matches will be held on the 2nd, 5th, and 8th of June 2022. 

Reporting from last week’s Talent ID camp in Netherlands will be handed over to the new coach of Australia’s U23 National Team once an appointment is made.

The list of players that participated in last week’s Talent Identification camp in Hoevelaken can be found below.

Name

Club, Country

Junior Club (Member Federation)

Marco Arambasic

KV Mechelen, Belgium

APIA Leichhardt FC (Football NSW)

Hosine Bility

FC Midtjylland, Denmark

Croydon Kings FC (Football NSW)

Nicholas Bilokapic (Gk)

Hartlepool United, England

Sydney United 58 FC (Football NSW)

Thymos Caroutas

UE Cornella B, Spain

Wollongong Wolves FC (Football NSW)

Jacob Chapman (Gk)

Huddersfield Town AFC, England

Epping Eastwood Tigers FC (Football NSW)

Jordan Courtney-Perkins

Warta Poznan, Poland

Newmarket SFC (Football Queensland)

Alberto Del Grosso

US Cisanese ASD, Italy

US Cisanese ASD (Italy)

Tyrese Francois

Fulham FC, England

Campbelltown Uniting Church Soccer Club (Football NSW)

Doni Grdic

HNK Sibenik, Croatia

HNK Sibenik (Croatia)

Nikola Jadric

HNK Orijent 1919, Croatia

Belconnen United (Capital Football)

Alou Kuol

SV Sandhausen, Germany

Shepparton SC (Football Victoria)

Murray Miller

Rangers FC B, Scotland

Motherwell FC (Scotland)

Emile Peios

Sint-Truiden, Belgium

FC Bulleen Lions (Victoria)

Jordan Perez

AEK Larnaca, Cyprus

Bangor FC (Football NSW)

Cameron Peupion

Brighton & Hove Albion, England

Wakehurst FC (Football NSW)

Gabriel Popovic

NK Rudes, Croatia

Sydney United 58 FC (Football NSW)

Kristian Popovic

NK Rudes, Croatia

Sydney United 58 FC (Football NSW)

Jing Reec

AGF Aarhus, Denmark

Blacktown Workers FC (Football NSW)

Dylan Ruiz-Diaz

Uncontracted

AC United FC (Football NSW)

Ilia Shalamanov-Trenkova (Gk)

FC Litex Lovech, Bulgaria

PFC Belasitsa Petrich (Bulgaria)

Aleks Taleski

Uncontracted

Green Gully SC (Football Victoria)

Ryan Teague

S.C. Covilha, Portugal

Maroubra United FC (Football NSW)