
Adelaide United FC’s Travis Dodd, Lucas Pantelis and Bruce Djite will take part in the Qantas Socceroos final training camp in Sydney before the national team’s first World Cup qualifier against Qatar.
The Reds trio flew out for Sydney today and will take part in a final training session with players selected from the other Hyundai A-League clubs tomorrow, before Socceroos Coach Pim Verbeek makes his final decision on a squad for the first game in Australia’s 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Midfielders Dodd and Pantelis have been under Verbeek’s radar having been to the previous two camps, while striker Djite has been invited to attend after impressing in the Hyundai A-League and during his time for the Qantas Under 23’s in a match against a make up Socceroos line up a fortnight ago, which was part of a previous camp.
With United’s Hyundai A-League season now over, the trio did themselves no harm with classy performances against Queensland Roar yesterday, Djite and Pantelis both finding the back of the net in the 2-0 result, giving them both six goals for the season, one ahead of Dodd.
Djite and Pantelis are looking for their first Socceroos cap, Djite a current member of the Qantas Under 23’s and Pantelis a former Under 23’s player, while Dodd would add to his memorable debut appearance in 2006 when he scored and provided an assist in a win over Kuwait.
Verbeek has emphasised throughout the camps for players not to be afraid to show flare, rather encouraging them to express themselves and show what they have got to offer on the field.
Dodd, Djite and Pantelis will be certainly trying to put their best forward at tomorrow’s training session with the team to be announced on Wednesday.
The match against Qatar will be held on Wednesday 6 February 2008 at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne.