Carrying hopes

Back Row, LtoR: Dary (coach), Sodavid, Titchhy, Sovann, Senteang, Dinarong, Baraing, Samnang, Chanchav, Chanpolin, Ravan, Chanvuthy. Front Row: Ponvuthy, Nuron, Chhaya, Muslim, Phearath, Chansopheak, Noeut, Piphop, Rozak.

The Phnom Penh Crown Academy squad line-up at Phnom Penh's International Airport before they leave to fly to Ho Chi Minh City courtesy of Air Asia. They take on Vietnam's PVF Academy in the opening match of the FAM-Frenz U-15 Asean Champions Trophy at 7.30pm tomorrow (Saturday) evening.  

Meanwhile, Sam Schweingruber, the Swiss-born head coach of Phnom Penh Crown and the coach of the Cambodia Girls team has been handed a third role, as the head coach of the Cambodian U-16 national team. The U-16s will travel to Napyidaw in Myanmar to take part in the AFF U-16 Championship qualifiers between 20-31 August. Cambodia are in group A with Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar and Australia. Sam and his coaching assistants have already been running the rule over potential recruits to the squad including his club's Academy boys, who are in Vietnam ahead of their first game in the Asean U-15 Champions Trophy tomorrow. Assisting Sam with the role will be Bouy Dary (the U-14 national coach and PPCFC Academy head coach), Ieng Saknida, Keo Kosal, Ung Kanyanith and goalkeeping coach In Sokha. Saknida and Sokha are also in Vietnam with the Crown Academy squad, as are Schweingruber and Dary.