Two Greek Australians are part of the 24-player Pararoos’ squad who have assembled for their first training camp of the year in preparation for the IFCPF World Cup in Spain this November.
Christian Bitsikas and Christian Tsangas are both in Sydney with the rest of the squad for an intensive three-day training camp which commenced on Friday.
In what is a new era for the Pararoos, 13 of the players posses two or fewer caps for the team, with 10 players yet to make their debut, while the average age of the squad is just 20-years-old.
Bitsikas and Tsangas both have two and six caps respectively.
The larger than usual squad features eleven returning players from the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Men’s Championships (Para Asian Cup) in Melbourne where the Pararoos advanced to the final, creating an increased importance on claiming a place the team.
Bitsikas made his Pararoos debut at the Asian Cup in Melbourne against Iran.
Reflecting on that in an interview with the club’s media, the 19-year-old said it was a lot of fun and a great experience.
“It was something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time – play for my country. So to have the opportunity to do that, here in Melbourne, in front of friends and family, was a great experience.”
For goalkeeper Tsangas (27), playing for the team is about leaving a legacy.
“We always talk about leaving a legacy and that’s what we want to do, we want to inspire the next generation of kids with cerebral palsy or acquired brain injury to look at us and hopefully they can say to themselves, that’s what I want to do one day, I want to play for the Pararoos or the Paramatildas,” he explained to club media prior to the Asian Cup last year.
“That’s our aim, to leave a legacy and hopefully that can happen and we can encourage a better future for football in Australia.”
In a media release announcing the training camp squad, Pararoos head coach Kai Lammert shared his enthusiasm, and emphasised the opportunity for younger players to step into leadership roles and contribute to the team’s collective growth.
“This camp marks the beginning of an exciting journey towards the IFCPF World Cup in Spain. We’re eager to see our players come together, forge bonds, and build on the success of recent years,” he said.
“The squad comprises a diverse mix of talents and we believe in nurturing the potential of every individual. By empowering our younger players to take on leadership responsibilities, we’re building a culture of mentorship and growth within the team. It’s about instilling confidence and resilience in our players, ensuring that each one feels valued and capable of contributing to our future success.
“This camp isn’t just about preparing for a tournament, it’s about embarking on an adventure together. I have no doubt that as we come together and push our limits, we’ll not only improve as a squad but build an environment capable of producing great things.”
Training Camp Squad:
Rafferty BACON, Joshua BEEKES, Christian BITSIKAs, Jeremy BOYCE, Noah BREMMER-Bell, Connor BUNCE, Daniel CAMPBELL, Iain CARMICHAEL, Trey HUNTER, Giacomo IZZO, Sail KOZAROV, Luc LAUNDER, Alessandro LA VERGHETTA, Taj LYNCH, Angus MACGREGOR, Samuel MCCONNACHY, Augustine MURPHY, Sabian PANOZZO, Tomas SCOTTI, Riley STUBING, Christian TSANGAS, Kaylan VAN HEER, TRAIN ON PLAYER, William MCGRATH.
