Fifa Women’s World Cup 2007: Australia Squad

Fifa Women’s World Cup 2007 is going begin from 10 September 2007 in China. 16 teams will participate in this fifth women’s world cup. All the participating countries will attend at the group stage first. The teams will be divided into four groups in which each group includes four teams. Top two teams of each group will qualify for the quarter final round. Now, all the teams are busy with their final preparation. Coaches are busy in finalizing the squad for the women’s world cup. Germany is the defending champion of the women’s world cup.

Many teams have already declared their final 21 ahead of the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2007. Australia has recently unveiled their 21 member world cup squad. The squad seems balanced as their Scottish coach Tom Sermanni included both youth and experienced players in the squad. Captain Cheryl Salisbury is the most experienced player of the squad holding the record of most appearances and goals for both male and female. She appeared in 113 matches and scored 29 goals for Australia. It is interesting that a solid defender is now the highest goal scorer for the team. Australia has some promising young players like Sally Shipard, Collette McCallum and Kylie Ledbrook who participated in FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship Russia in 2006.

As a coach, this is the second term of Tom Sermanni with Australia’s women national football team. He coached Australia in 1995 world cup as he was the coach of Australia women’s football team from 1994-1997. Tom Sermanni started his second term with Australia in 2005. According to many Australia’s main problem is that Australia does not have any women’s football league which is very much needed for an side who plays at the top level of the sports.

Australia could not qualify for the first world cup in 1991 but from 1995 world cup they have been participating in women’s world cup. However, their performance was not satisfactory at all. They could not go beyond the group stage of Women’s World Cup. Now, in the coming Fifa Women’s World Cup 2007, Australia will play in Group C where they have to face former champion Norway, 2003 semi finalist Canada and Ghana. So, to be honest, it would not be so easy for Australia to qualify for the quarter final stage but they can show their capability to the football world in Women’s World Cup 2007.

Here, I am giving the names of the players of Australia’s women’s world cup squad below:

Goalkeepers – Melissa Barbieri (Melbourne), Lydia Williams (Canberra), Emma Wirkus (Adelaide)

Defenders – Di Alagich (Sydney), Rhian Davies (Sydney), Heather Garriock (Sydney), Kate McShea (Brisbane), Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane), Cheryl Salisbury (Newcastle), Thea Slatyer (Sydney)

Midfielders – Lauren Colthorpe (Newcastle), Alicia Ferguson (Brisbane), Collette McCallum (Perth), Joanne Peters (Newcastle), Sally Shipard (Canberra), Danielle Small (Sydney)

Forwards – Joanne Burgess (Sydney), Lisa De Vanna (Perth), Kate Gill (Newcastle), Caitlin Munoz (Canberra), Sarah Walsh (Sydney)
(current home city)

Source:

Footballaustralia.com

Fifa.com