JERSEY manager Jack Cannon has named his 18-man squad for Friday’s rearranged Under-21 Muratti against Guernsey at Victoria Park.
Players from nine local clubs are represented in the travelling squad for the fixture, which was originally scheduled for November but was postponed at short notice following the collapse of airline Blue Islands.
The Jersey Football Association had been unable to recover the money paid to Blue Islands for the cancelled trip, but increased sponsorship from local FinTech company EWG has allowed the rearranged fixture to go ahead.
Jersey FA chief executive Tim Pryor said the support had been crucial in ensuring the match could be played.
“We’re hugely grateful to EWG for their support of local representative football – we simply wouldn’t have been able to get this match back on without their extended sponsorship,” he said.
“On the pitch, Jack, Peter [Vincenti] and Adam [Lester] have put together an exciting squad full of talented players. I’m especially proud to see nine local sides providing players, which is testament to the hard work of our local clubs and coaches.”
Last year’s meeting in Guernsey saw Jersey overcome their rivals 3-1, despite being reduced to ten men in the first half.
This year’s Under-21 squad retains a similar core to that victorious side, though several younger players have been introduced following the departure of last year’s captain Jack Lumsden and other members of the previous cohort who are no longer eligible.
The physical edge of the fixture has been evident in recent meetings, with Jersey finishing with ten men on the pitch in each of the last two encounters. Cannon will be hoping his side can maintain their discipline while preserving their numerical advantage on Friday night.
Captain Will Yates believes the squad’s experience – despite the age group – will stand them in good stead.
“The lads are feeling confident we can get the job done,” he said. “It feels strange talking about experience with an Under-21 side, but most of the squad have already represented Jersey at senior level, whether that’s in Muratti matches or at the Island Games in Orkney.”
Preparation time has been limited following the rearrangement of the fixture, but Yates believes the familiarity within the squad has allowed the team to quickly find its rhythm.
“A lot of us have played together for years so understanding each other’s games hasn’t been an issue,” he added. “Training has been at a high standard and the coaches have been able to put together a game plan that we believe gives us the best chance of winning.”
Playing away in Guernsey will present an added challenge, particularly with the expected home support, but Yates emphasised the importance of discipline.
“It’ll definitely be tougher mentally with an away crowd, but the key thing I’ll be stressing is keeping 11 players on the pitch,” he said. “We saw last year how much that can change the dynamics of the game.”
Despite that, the captain insists Jersey will not change their approach.
“With the quality we’ve got it would be silly not to play on the front foot. We want to play attacking football and control the tempo of the game, like we did last year before the sending-off.”
Yates also admitted it was a proud moment to be asked to lead the side.
“It’s a massive honour to captain the Under-21s for the Muratti. I was a bit surprised Jack asked me as I’m one of the younger players in the squad, but I’m ready for the challenge and hopefully we can bring the trophy back on the plane with us.”
Kick-off at Victoria Park on Friday evening is 7.45pm.
Jersey U21 Muratti Squad: Fergus Boyle, Riley Brennan, Ewan Brodie, Stan Dunne, Afonso Freitas, Callum Gilroy, Leighton Gilroy, Harry Gladdish, Tom Goncalves, Damon Huckerby, Connor Lloyd, Harry MacKenzie, Seaney McColgan, Casey Nixon, Joey O’Toole, Alfie Queree, Harry Scott, Will Yates.
