Queenslander and Pararoos captain David Barber is set to make his 100th appearance for the national squad in the upcoming international friendly against Canada at Cromer Park.
The Pararoos’ first official match on home soil in 19 years will be held on Saturday, 30 November at 5:30pm, with the fixture open to the public and all ticket sales invested back into the Pararoos program.
Barber said he was looking forward to the opportunity to wear the green and gold at home in Australia.
“It has been so long since we played on home soil, it is going to mean the world. For me personally it is something that I have been dreaming about for a really long time,” Barber said.
“If you are a fan of football, a fan of good football, then that is what this team is all about. Just because we have a disability doesn’t change the fact that we play amazing football.
“We are going to be playing against a world class opponent in our own backyard, and if you are a fan of football and want to get out and support the green and gold then this is your chance to do it. It’s going to be a great day at a great venue, and I cannot wait to play.”
Pararoos Head Coach Kai Lammert today announced the 14-player squad for the international friendly, including two potential debutants.
“Fans that come to the game on November 30 will see a team made up of a range of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences,” Lammert said.
“Seven of our 14 squad members are in their teens, highlighting our focus on youth, however we also have some extremely experienced Pararoos who lead our team including captain David Barber, goalkeeper Christopher Pyne, attacker Benjamin Roche, and defender Ben Atkins.”
The international friendly has been made possible thanks to support received from the FIFA Forward 2.0 Development Programme.
FIFA Forward 2.0 helps fund and support initiatives pursued by its Member Associations, and FIFA’s six Confederations, that enable football to reach its potential so that everyone that wants to take part in the world game can do so without barriers.
FFA has received FIFA Forward 2.0 funding not only to bring the Pararoos’ home match to life, but to support training camps for the team in 2020 which will assist Australia’s preparations for the IFCPF Nations Championships to be held in Sant Cugat, Spain next June.
Pararoos 14-Player Squad | Australia v Canada – International Friendly
| Name (Cap) | State | International Caps (Goals) |
| Ben ATKINS (27) | New South Wales | 70 (8) |
| David Barber (C) (1) | Queensland | 99 (70) |
| Christopher BARTY (35) | Western Australia | 33 (0) |
| Timothy BLOWES | New South Wales | 0 (0) |
| Jeremy BOYCE | New South Wales | 0 (0) |
| Connor BUNCE (55) | Western Australia | 7 (4) |
| Daniel CAMPBELL (53) | New South Wales | 13 (2) |
| Cosimo CIRILLO (49) | Victoria | 8 (1) |
| Matthew HEARNE (46) | Victoria | 20 (2) |
| Taj LYNCH (51) | New South Wales | 14 (1) |
| Angus MACGREGOR (44) | Victoria | 10 (1) |
| Augustine MURPHY (52) | New South Wales | 9 (1) |
| Christopher PYNE (2) | New South Wales | 102 (20) |
| Benjamin ROCHE (16) | New South Wales | 52 (28) |
Pararoos v Canada – International Friendly
Date: Saturday, 30 November 2019
Venue: Cromer Park (South Creek Road, Cromer, NSW)
Kick-off: 5.30pm AEDT
Tickets: Tickets on sale now via www.pararoos.com.au (100 per cent of ticket sales invested back into the Pararoos)
