One of the benefits of travelling with the Green & Gold Army is that our tours are hosted by football personalities that like us, love the game and are passionate about Australian football.

Simon Hill migrated to Australia to take up a post with SBS Sport after a decade of service with BBC World Service & BBC Radio 5 Live working on the Premier League and other European Football. However, it has been in Australia that Simon found his place (initially with SBS and now with Fox Sports) and over time has become the voice of Australian Football, guiding Australian football fans through 4 FIFA World Cup Qualification phases and 3 FIFA World Cups. His work in the A-League is much loved. Simon is looking forward to experiencing the World Cup with the fans.

Simon Hill is hosting our Moscow Home Base Tour. Simon will be travelling with us and joining our activities and events. You will have plenty of opportunities to chat football with him!

Ned Zelic, Lawrie McKinna and Francis Leach will also be joining us in Moscow for the first and last 2 nights and on match days. 

Jacob Burns is the General Manager of Football at A-League Club, Perth Glory FC. Jacob retired from playing in 2014 after 18 years and 337 matches of professional football in Australia and Europe with Sydney FC, Parramatta Power, Leeds United, Barnsley, Wisla Krakow, Unirea Urziceni and Perth Glory. Jacob played 11 times with the Socceroos and is looking forward to his World Cup experience in Russia.

These days Ned caresses our television screens with his analysis for Fox Sports covering the A-League, AFC Champions League and Socceroos fixtures. However, he entered Socceroos fans hearts in 1991 with the “ghost goal: that sent Australia to victory over the Netherlands and onto the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Ned played 32 times for Australia and enjoyed a glittering European career with Borussia Dortmund, Queen Park Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt, AJ Auxerre, 1860 Munchen before experiencing the J-League with Urawa Reds, the A-League with the Newcastle Jets & ending his career with Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia. Ned is looking forward to the GGArmy experience and is sure to relive many stories from his extensive professional football career.

Lawrie McKinna is the CEO of the A-League Club, Newcastle Jets. Lawrie played over 300 matches in his professional football career in Scotland and Australia with Kilmarnock, Heidelberg United, APIA Leichardt, Blacktown, Wollongong City and Newcastle Breakers. After playing, Lawrie has had a decorated coaching career with Northern Spirit, Central Coast Mariners and Chengdu Blades. He is now making an impact off the field leading his Club the Newcastle Jets.

A GGArmy Tour is not complete without Sports Broadcaster Francis Leach guiding our tour group to cultural tourism landmarks and FIFA World Cup stadia. Francis, an accomplished Sports Broadcaster, Commentator and Presenter with ABC TV, ABC Radio and SEN Radio is a veteran of three GGArmy Tour programs (2010 South Africa, 2014 Brazil & 2017 Japan). Francis has a special interest in Russia and is looking forward to the mixing his passion of following the Socceroos with his interest in Russian history, in particular the Soviet era.