GUERNSEY’S Muratti hopefuls are set to play a string of quality friendlies ahead of next May’s final at Springfield.
The Guernsey Football Association are pulling out the stops to give the island team and Tony Vance, its manager, every chance of what would be a memorable and highly-beneficial National System Cup-Muratti double.
Mark Le Tissier (pictured), GFA chairman, confirmed yesterday games against at least three UK sides and possibly a fourth.
No dates have yet to be arranged as the GFA wait to see the full extent of the growing fixtures jam, but regardless of that Vance will get games to prepare his team.
‘They are in our plans, but of course the fixture congestion won’t help us.
‘If we have a bad December it is going to be difficult to fit in, but we will definitely find a way of doing it.’
The strong link with Condor Ferries, the island team’s sponsors, are key to the island friendlies said the chairman, who added that playing the Isle of Wight was a definite in the build-up to the Muratti.
Dorset are also keen to play and a match against Devon is also possible.
A game against the talented England Universities squad is also planned, but like the Devon/Dorset game, whether it is here or in the UK is not yet clear.
‘For the Universities match we have still got to sort out a date and then we have a county game, either Dorset or Devon.’
However, until the draw is made for the quarter-finals of the National System and a date confirmed the GFA cannot press on.
If Guernsey are dealt a home draw they get to choose the February date. If they are away it is the choice of their opponents. But it has to be played before 20 February and the GFA have earmarked 13 February if they are at home.
While beating Jersey would be long overdue and be great for the morale of the local game and its top players, winning the System Cup would take them into Europe as England’s representatives in the prestigious Uefa Regions Cup in 2011, and would be an even greater prize.
Vance backs Warren, page 50
Article posted on 4th December, 2009 - 2.30pm
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