AN AUSTRALIAN Combined Service Soccer Association (ACSSA) squad is currently on tour in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia after accepting an invitation from former ambassador to Vietnam Mr Michael Mann in HMAS Perth (CO Lou Rago) back in 1999.

At the time, HMAS Perth was transiting the Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City in the inaugural visit to Vietnam by an Australian warship.

The green light for the tour has since been given and extended to include Laos and Cambodia where the ADF team will play several military teams in each province.

The standard of competition will be high, with several of the Vietnamese Army players representing the national team.

The majority of the Australian players were selected at the ADF national carnival in Canberra in 2000 and the remaining players were chosen at a camp held in 2001.

The assistant coach is WO Nigel Lister and the manager is WO Stephen Bailey (Air Force).

The games to be held in Vientiane, Laos and Phnom Penh, Cambodia will be televised nationally and crowds of more than 20,000 are expected to each game.

The Australian squad will also conduct coaching clinics with local schools in Laos and will assist in building a soccer field and volleyball court at a local orphanage in Cambodia.

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