Sydney FC players Teigen Allen, Heather Garriock, Leena Khamis, Kylie Ledbrook, Kyah Simon and Sarah Walsh were today selected by Westfield Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni in a 29-player squad for a 4-day training camp at the AIS
Sydney FC players Teigen Allen, Heather Garriock, Leena Khamis, Kylie Ledbrook, Kyah Simon and Sarah Walsh were today selected by Westfield Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni in a 29-player squad for a 4-day training camp at the AIS which commences tomorrow.
The announcement caps off a stellar month for the Sydney FC players after they took out the W-League title in mid December, in particular Teigen Allen who earns her first call-up to the senior national women-s team.
Sermanni is using the first camp of the year as an important part of the team-s preparations for the AFC Women-s Asian Cup 2010 which will be held in Chengdu, China between 19-30 May.
“It-s exciting to start up again for what is going to be a very important year for the team,” Sermanni said.
“These training camps over the next couple months will go a long way towards shaping the final squad in the lead up to the Asian Cup.
“The big difference, in comparison to previous campaigns, is that the Westfield W-League has provided players a great opportunity to showcase their talents against their peers and players like Michelle Heyman and Teigen Allen have received their first call up the senior national women-s national team as a result.
“It-s now up to each player to prove that they deserve to be in the final squad that will travel to China in May”, concluded Sermanni.
The Westfield Matildas have been drawn in Group B of the AFC Women-s Asian Cup 2010 along with host nation China, Vietnam and Korea Republic.
The AFC Women-s Asian Cup 2010 also serves as a qualifying competition for the 2011 FIFA Women-s World Cup which will be held in Germany. Only the top three Asian teams from the AFC Women-s Asian Cup 2010 will progress to the 2011 FIFA Women-s World Cup. Australia is currently ranked 14 in the FIFA Women-s World Rankings and fourth within the AFC.
Good Luck to the Sydney FC girls.
Westfield Matildas squad list
AIS Training Camp, 14-17 January 2010
Teigen ALLEN (Sydney FC), Laura ALLEWAY (Melbourne Victory), Melissa BARBIERI (Melbourne Victory), Leah BLAYNEY (Central Connecticut State University, USA), Ellie BRUSH (Canberra United), Joanne BURGESS (Brisbane Roar), Tameka BUTT (Brisbane Roar), Lauren COLTHORPE (Brisbane Roar), Casey DUMONT (Brisbane Roar), Heather GARRIOCK (Sydney FC), Kathryn GILL (Perth Glory), Michelle HEYMAN (Central Coast Mariners), Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT (Brisbane Roar), Samantha KERR (Perth Glory), Leena KHAMIS (Sydney FC), Kylie LEDBROOK (Sydney FC), Aivi LUIK (Brisbane Roar), Collette McCALLUM (Perth Glory), Sian McLAREN (Adelaide United), Kate McSHEA (Brisbane Roar), Ellyse PERRY (Canberra United), Clare POLKIINGHORNE (Brisbane Roar), Karla REUTER (Brisbane Roar), Kyah SIMON (Sydney FC), Thea SLATYER (Canberra United), Emily VAN EGMOND (Canberra United), Sarah WALSH (Sydney FC), Lydia WILLIAMS (Canberra United) and Emma WIRKUS (Adelaide United).
