Some of Queensland’s brightest young talent will feature in Football Australia’s Under 16 National Talent Identification Camp for boys, which kicks off in Townsville today. 

The camp will be held from Monday, 11 April to Friday, 15 April, welcoming young footballers born in 2006 from around the country to participate in five days of football-related activities in venues across the North Queensland city. 

“It is wonderful to see players from across both metro and regional Queensland selected to participate in this week’s Under 16 National Talent Identification Camp in Townsville,” FQ State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer said. 

“The majority of the Queenslanders have been selected from the FQ Academy program or the Brisbane Roar Academy and will get the opportunity to showcase their skills across the five days and push for selection in upcoming Australian Under 17 squads. 

“This represents another step on the pathway to national team selection, further demonstrating how the FQ Academy program is linking young Queensland talent to Football Australia’s national talent identification process. 

“On behalf of Football Queensland, I’d like to wish our Queensland players who are participating in this week’s camp the best of luck.” 

Ganczer is in attendance at the camp this week as part of the coaching team, alongside Football Queensland technical team members Tom Laxton (Lead Club Development Ambassador – Talent), Michael Edwards (Senior Manager – Club Development, Talent & Coaching – Northern), Reggie Davani (Club Development Ambassador – Far North and Gulf) and Frank Monteverde (FQ Academy Goalkeeping Coach – Metro). 

Trevor Morgan, Football Australia’s Head of Technical Direction, Pathways & Coach Education & Australian U17 Men’s Head Coach will also be supported in camp by a number of former Socceroos who have joined the coaching staff including Mark Milligan and Luke Wilkshire. 

An internal 11 v 11 elite match will be held on Tuesday, 12 April (4:30pm) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium before the players in camp come up against a local select team on Thursday, 14 April (5pm) at 1300SMILES Active Park. There will be free entry for spectators for both matches. 

Nine Queensland players have been selected in the camp and will play in Tuesday’s internal match, while an additional five players have been recognised on the long list, four of whom are set to play in Thursday’s match. 

Talent ID Camp Players 

Christian Mladenis (Gold Coast Knights) – FQ Academy Metro
Evan Msonga (Brothers Townsville) – FQ Academy Northern
Myles Howard (Leichhardt FC) – FQ Academy Far North & Gulf
Nicholas Lyth (Marlin Coast Rangers) – FQ Academy Far North & Gulf
Jake Pettigrew – Magpies Crusaders
Cyrus Malsawmkina – Brisbane Roar
Kade Mcdougall – Brisbane Roar
Isiah Quinn – Brisbane Roar
Edward Ince – Brisbane Roar 

Recognised on the Long List 

Jensen Varga (Redlynch Strikers) – FQ Academy Far North & Gulf
Evangelos Yiallourides (MA Olympic) – FQ Academy Northern
Jack Benham (Brisbane City) – FQ Academy Metro
Justin Moya – Brisbane Roar
Rylan Brownlie – Brisbane Roar