And so the journey for the ACT boys begins.

These lads could be on the start of a very long journey. Not just at this tournament. Who knows where we may be reading their names in future years.

QANTAS JOEYS BEGIN INTERNATIONAL JOURNEY

Australia’s latest crop of Qantas Joeys will take their first steps in an international environment next week when an 18-strong squad will depart Australia to compete in the Toyota International Youth Football Championship in Japan.

The Qantas Joeys will commence the long-road towards qualification for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup with participation in the prestigious annual six-nation tournament.

Australia will meet Japan and the USA in their group matches before play-off matches will decide the tournament placings with the Korean Republic, United Arab Emirates and a Japanese High Schools team in the other group.

The Qantas Joeys will spend three days in camp in Sydney before departing for Japan on Sunday.

In keeping with the age bracket for the 2009 World Cup, coach Martyn Crook will take an underage squad to the U-16 tournament in Japan consisting primarily of players in the U-15 category supplemented by three players in the U-16 age group.

“This tournament will be a great experience for such young players and will provide an ideal test for them both as individuals and as a group ahead of the start of qualifying in October,” said Crook. Australia will travel to Singapore in October for the first stage of qualifying with two of six teams to progress to next year’s AFC U-16 Championship.

The Qantas Joeys squad is:Mark Birighitti (WA*), Bailey Wright (VIC), Marc Warren (NSW), Fabio DiLizia (VIC*), Anthony Bran (VIC*), Jared Lum (NSW), Joel Miller (SA), Benjamin Kantarovski (NNSW), Stephen Domenici (ACT), Joseph Costa (SA), Kamal Ibrahim (VIC), Tedros Yabio (VIC), Nikola Stanojevic (NSW), Danai Gapare (ACT), Brendan Hamill (NSW), Petar Franjic (VIC), Christopher Bush (NSW), Nicholas Tubbs (QLD)(* Players born 91, all other players born 92)

Training match v TBCTuesday 7 August
Australia v JapanThursday 9 August, 16:30 (17:30 AEST)
Australia v USA Saturday 11 August, 16:30 (17:30 AEST)
Sunday 12 August, Play-off match