Under-17s Head Coach Anthony Hayes said Brentford are going to the Premier Section of the Dale Farm Milk Cup with one aim; to retain their title.
Anthony was part of the coaching staff that led The Bees to victory in the Junior Section of the prestigious youth tournament in 2012.
Now he, as well as most of the winning squad, return hoping to make it back-to-back triumphs.
Standing in their way in the opening group games of the tournament are Lusaka Academy, County Fermanagh and Benfica.
Anthony has been pleased with preparations for the tournament so far and thinks that his squad fear no team at this year’s tournament in Northern Ireland.
“Preparations have been good so far,” said Anthony.
“We have got a couple of injuries but that is part and parcel of pre-season.
“We have had a good four-and-a-half weeks with the players.
“We have done a lot of double sessions and football sessions with them so in the main it has been pleasing.
“We need to work them physically and get them up to a good level there but we also need to work with them tactically.
“It has been a good mix and the players are at a good level.
“We feel like we are in a good position to go and compete.
“We are going there to win it and we are going there to be in that top four team bracket.
“We will see where we are after the first two games and we will set ourselves up for the big game against Benfica.
“Our aim is to be as competitive as we can and hopefully go back and win it.
“With the experiences that the two groups have had in playing AZ Alkmaar and Inter Milan they don’t hold any team in Europe on a pedestal.
“They will look forward to the challenge, and it will be a challenge because they will be up against good international players.
“They will look to get on with their job and show whoever is watching how good a player they are and that they can compete with these top players around Europe.”
The Milk Cup is a unique test for the players as it is so unlike any the league and cup season that the players are used to.
Each team plays three 70 minute group games in three days before progressing to the Semi-Finals and Finals which are played on the fourth and fifth days.
With such a short turnaround between games Anthony admits there are stresses on tactical and physical preparation between games.
With such tactical and physical demands placed on the team Anthony believes this is where the work of the extensive team of coaches, sports scientists, physios and analysts will come into its own, as it did in 2012.
“When it comes to our set-up we are going to play how we play regardless of the opposition,” said Anthony.
“We have a set-up in possession and out of possession and hopefully we can impose ourselves on the game well enough not to have to worry about the opposition or curtail what we do because of what the opposition do.
“Physically it is a challenge with five games in five days.
“The bits of recovery, the cool downs, the pool sessions and the recovery sessions will be massive.
“Two years ago when we won it one of the elements was that we were one of the fittest teams there.
“With the combination of tactical and physical work in training I think we have got it right this year so when we go over we will do ourselves proud.
“We have a lot of staff going over this year because we are taking two groups.
“Their roles are critical when we are not on the pitch.
“We have got a great staff here who work with the players on a day to day basis and are great with them.
“They know them as players and as individuals and I am sure they will do a great job to get them ready to compete to the best levels on the pitch.
“The preparation has been terrific and the environment that the players are going to be exposed to is terrific.
“The most important thing is, and it is something we don’t put emphasis on over the season, they have to win games.
“It is that added thing of playing our style but also getting the results at the end of it.
“With the five days away and the amounts of preparation and recuperation they will be exposed to, the staff members who will be there and the environment of the games all make up for a great week.
“The boys came back to pre-season fit and raring to go but the added incentive of going to the Milk Cup to defend out title from two years ago added to the good buzz around the place.
“The players are excited to get going.”
The alumni of Milk Cup players to graduate to Premier League and International football is an extensive one that includes David Beckham, Steve McManaman, Paul Scholes, Steve Staunton and Ryan Giggs.
The Milk Cup has always prided itself on being a good preparation for first team football and Anthony very much agrees with that viewpoint.
For Anthony it is a great tournament and one that will test Brentford’s Under-17s as they look to break into higher teams at Griffin Park.
“There is a nice little buzz around the group and an excitement around the place,” said Anthony.
“The players are getting ready for it and they are talking about it more.
“I was lucky enough to be part of the group that won it two years ago and it is a fantastic tournament to play in.
“It is a great environment and there are a lot of good crowds at the game, some who won’t be supporting Brentford let’s say.
“It is a great environment for our players to be and it is another step in their development.
“The players demand success off themselves as well.
“There is a good core of players who went two years ago who want to go back this time and emulate that success.
“We don’t put any pressure on the players.
“We want to impose our style and philosophy on the game and then it is up to the players to see if they can execute game-plans.
“We want them to express themselves and then hopefully win but also play the football we expect them to play.
“It is a good group and there is a lot of talent in that group.
“Hopefully we can go across and impose ourselves and let the players express themselves as individuals.
“We want to get players to develop into our first-team and there is no better scene or situation to do that in than the Milk Cup.”
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