ISLAND manager Steve Burns is quietly optimistic ahead of the Isle of Man under-18s’ FA County Youth Cup tie with Staffordshire after a productive trip to Liverpool at the weekend.
The latest group off the IoMFA Development Centre’s talent conveyor-belt lost 2-0 to their counter-parts from the Liverpool County FA in a friendly ahead of November 10’s tie at the Bowl, but Burns still feels the squad will have taken a lot away from the encounter: ‘It was a great learning experience for all the players and coaches and it’s fair to say that we returned with most of our objectives fully met despite the result.
‘The trip was all about development opportunities for the players and a chance for myself and the other coaches Ben Qualtrough and Mark Adams to set them some challenges and observe how they tackled these tests.
‘They came through with flying colours and any doubts the squad may have had about their ability to step up to a much higher level should have been eradicated.’
Reflecting on the match itself Burns added: ‘We were extremely keen to see whether the players could carry out their specific roles within the system we have been working on over the past five weeks and cope with the challenges that invariably arise when stepping up to a high level of competition. After a nervous start, which resulted in us conceding a first-minute goal, the team responded magnificently until injury time at the end of the half when another slip in concentration cost us a second goal.
‘If the first half was about how well we did out of possession, the second was all about what we did with the ball. I think it would be fair to say that we were much the better side and created a number of decent chances which really galvanised the team. By game’s end the players were buzzing because they recognised they had competed with a very good side. Remember Liverpool play every other week in the regional Counties League and so are used to playing regular competitive matches as a group. This was the first time our lads had had such an opportunity and that’s why it was vital to play a game like this.
‘I cannot praise the 16 players who travelled enough and it would be unfair to pick out individual performances. Their contributions in the two team meetings and then on the pitch, together with how they conducted themselves was exemplary on all counts.
‘Although I would say, that the performances of the squad’s three 15-year-olds was particularly worthy of highlighting as they demonstrated maturity and understanding way above their relatively young years.’