It is not every day Otago teens get to rub shoulders with Manchester United or Liverpool.
But next week will not be any regular week for a group of the region’s young football players who have made the journey to Northern Ireland with Otago’s Super Cup team.
Otago has been a regular competitor at the tournament, formerly known as the Milk Cup, since 2003 and begins its 2017 challenge tomorrow.
Bringing together youth teams from all of Fifa’s confederations, the tournament boasts entries from some big-name clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Otago has been drawn in a pool alongside Club America, from Mexico, Co Londonderry, from Northern Ireland and Strikers FC, from the United States.
Entered in the under-17 grade, the Otago team was selected in late March and has had 18 Sunday training sessions, alongside 43 morning sessions on weekdays.
It has also had four warm-up matches against local club sides, leaving the 18-man squad well-prepared.
Also included in the build-up was Matthew Milton, who had suffered a tour-ending injury in a van accident while the Green Island team was travelling to Queenstown.
Coach Neil McKenzie said Otago’s competitiveness at past tournaments was the key to it being invited and that was a key focus again this time.
"The squad has to be competitive in the tournament, otherwise there is a high probability that we would not be invited back," McKenzie said.
"Further, it is always our desire to demonstrate that we are capable of producing attacking football that results in goal-scoring opportunities while being defensively well organised and solid.
"It is our sincere hope that by participating in this tournament the players will come to understand the the technical, tactical, physical and psychological requirements needed to advance through the Southern United ranks into the National League and for some hopefully national selection."
Otago has made the top eight at the tournament twice before and once finished ahead of Manchester United.
McKenzie said significant scalps for Otago had included River Plate, from Argentina, Cruz Azul, from Mexico and a draw with Spain’s Rel Sociadad.
It will play its three pool games on successive days.
Otago team
For Northern Ireland Super Cup
Mitchell Skudder-Dey, Jayden Grindley, Rory Findlay, Andrew Cromb, Oscar Black, Tim O’Farrell, Shay Thom, Matthew Cordelle, Paddy Wennekes, Finn Kelly, Charlie Gruppelaar, Matthew Warbrick, Dominic Madden, Oscar Spragg, Joseph Carvell, Quinn McDonald, Jordan Mitchell, Cameron Anderson.
