Young students rank among Australia’s best
Eli Adams will showcase his talents on one of Asian football’s grandest stages this month.
The Toowoomba Grammar School student has been named in Australia’s under-16 schoolboys team which will tour Japan.
Adams flies out this Sunday for the tour with his team set to play a number of J-League sides and the young left winger was excited.
“We’re playing against teams in Tokyo, Osaka – the big cities in Japan. I’m looking forward to putting on the green and gold,” Adams said.
“Representing my country, state, home, school and family.”
Adams is fresh with ideas having recently attended the Australian under-17 Joeys Identification camp – the first stage of selection for the U17 FIFA World Cup squad.
“It was very helpful – it helped me improve my game in terms of how we play in Australia,” he said.
“We don’t fear anyone, we play very aggressive wanting to win.”
Adams, who modelled his game around players like Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, said he would put his team first on tour.
“I definitely want to play my best, and play my role to help the team do as well as they can.”
Lister makes mark
Alongside teammate Adams, Luke Lister is pushing his claims for national selection.
Lister was part of the same U17 Joeys camp in Brisbane.
“It was good experience to go down to Brisbane and to compare myself to the other players from Queensland,” he said.
“The camp was about seeing how if you do get selected for the Joeys at the World Cup how you’ll play, press, defend.”
While confident he performed at his best Lister said there was still plenty of hard work ahead of him.
“I think I did pretty good,” he said.
“There are still a lot things I need to improve on, but it’s all just prepared me for what’s to come in the future.”
TGS Director of Football Peter Broadfoot believed both Adams and Lister were capable of earning Australian selection.
“Eli and Luke are both very capable of mixing it with the best in the country and they have proven that by making it far,” Broadfoot said.
Jason Gibbs