Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Football Queensland

Former Brisbane City star Kenneth Dougall has earned selection to the Olyroos squad for a pair of friendly internationals against Korea Republic next month.

The Olyroos will play the friendlies in Hwaseong and Incheon as they prepare for upcoming AFC U-23 Championship Doha 2016 in January, which doubles as the qualification path to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

Dougall joins a host of overseas based and Hyundai A-League players in the 23 man squad, including Brisbane Roar’s James Donachie.

The 22-year-old, who was named the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland 2013 Young Player of the Year, made the move to Holland from City during the 2014 season.

He currently plays for Sparta Rotterdam in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, after successfully making the transition from midfield to defence.

Dougall was a constant presence for City prior to his European switch - starting in all 34 of his PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland appearances for the club and scoring 10 goals.

He previously was previously a member of Brisbane Roar’s Youth team.

Craig Geerssen, a member of Brisbane City’s three person Football Committee, said the club’s juniors and youth players will be buoyed to see a former City player advance to international representative football.

“We took Kenny on in the first year of the NPL. He had just moved on from the Roar Youth and didn’t know quite what his pathway was going to be,” Geerssen explained.

“Like Kenny was then, our juniors are striving to go as far as they can, and to see someone who has come come through the NPL system at Brisbane City to make an international squad is great for them.”

“A lot of the kids will be excited to see Kenny’s progress and will be thinking that Brisbane City could be a good pathway for them in the future as well,” he concluded.

Olyroos Head Coach Aurelio Vidmar is looking at the friendly matches as a chance to prepare the squad as the Olyroos seek to qualify for their first Olympic Games since 2008.

"These matches are another important step in our preparations for the Olympic qualifiers in January,” Vidmar said.

“Korea Republic will provide strong opposition as we head towards the Qualifiers and gives us the opportunity to work on so a few things and keep improving so we give ourselves the best possible opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games,” he concluded.