Newsletter T4/W6

Dear Parents,

Another exciting week of football development completed as we welcomed a number of new players and families to the program. 
The 2023 calendar has now been updated on the Mongo Football website. Teams are also currently being organised to prepare for term 1, 2023 and all the development experiences that will be on offer for players.  

The unveiling of squads this week by a number of World Cup bound nations has added another layer of excitement in the build up to the World Cup. Here at home the Socceroos announced their 26 man squad with a number of big surprises including 18 year old Garang Kuol. An amazing story for this young refugee who came from South Sudan. We wish the Socceroos all the very best! 

Thank you to all the parents who took time off their busy schedule to attend our Term 4 Parents Meeting. Thank you for your input for our 2023 plans.

We are holding our End of Year Fun Soccer & Pizza Party for the kids on Wednesday, December 7th from 5-6.30pm at Willis Sports Centre. Players are welcome bring siblings and friends to this special celebration of another successful year of football development. 

See you on the field. 

Cyrille

Socceroos announce surprise Qatar World Cup squad with teenager Garang Kuol and fan favourite Jason Cummings among the call-ups

Central Coast Mariners sensation Garang Kuol has earned his maiden World Cup call-up at just 18 years of age, despite having not started a single professional game in his fledgling football career.

Key points:

• Graham Arnold has called up a host of emerging Australian players for Qatar including Central Coast Mariners teenager Garang Kuol and Scotland-based midfielders Cameron Devlin and Keanu Baccus
• Veteran players including Trent Sainsbury, Adam Taggart, and Tom Rogic have been left out, as has stand-out goalkeeper Mitch Langerak
• Australia’s first game against France kicks off on November 23 at 6:00am AEDT

Kuol, alongside Mariners team-mate Jason Cummings, were two of several unexpected inclusions in Graham Arnold’s 26-player squad headed for Qatar after impressing both individually and as an attacking duo in the opening rounds of the A-League Men.

The pair headline a surprising mix of emerging talent and established stars, with 11 of the 26 chosen players having ten caps or fewer.

Scotland-based midfielders Keanu Baccus and Cameron Devlin are part of that new cohort, having made just one appearance each for the Socceroos.

They have, however, played regular minutes for their clubs recently and worked under Arnold with the Under-23s side at the Tokyo Olympics alongside fellow call-ups Thomas Deng, Nathaniel Atkinson, Joel King, Riley McGree, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, and over-age player Mitchell Duke.