2025 SuperCupNI: Co Londonderry

News Letter

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00:00Well, Rab, I actually enjoyed that game. But did you enjoy it from the sidelines?

00:05Oh, I did aye. Again, you're watching the boys play with their full potential on day three is massive.

00:12Because it's a tiring week, obviously, including the parade from Sunday. You're sort of working with them.

00:17You're trying to keep their nerves at bay, their excitement at bay and all that sort of came to the forefront today

00:24where their nerves are completely gone. Day three, they're going right. We're into the tournament.

00:28We know what we have to do and they went and did it. Every one of them did very well today.

00:33What's it like? Obviously, you're with Corey in Derry City and you're coming up against a Category 1 academy in Spurs.

00:40It probably tells you everything about what's going on here in Northern Ireland

00:44and the grassroots level with the young boys coming through.

00:47Obviously, Northern Ireland first team have done well over the last four to five years.

00:50So, everyone's sitting up and taking note. Young boys now, they're coming up against Category 1 clubs.

00:55Obviously, when they're going on trial and things like that, but this sort of tournament here,

00:59which is the elite one in Europe, this is where they can test themselves.

01:02And when they go back to their clubs, they can take the memories and the performances from here

01:06and hopefully, it'll push them on to actually strive for more.

01:09And for coaches and the staff, it's not just Super Cup weeks.

01:13I know you're laughing. There's a lot of preparations beforehand and trials and everyone else.

01:17So, it's not just five days. It's longer than that.

01:20No, it is. I think our trial process started in April, start of May.

01:24I think we had 167 young boys who were dreaming of, obviously, getting into the last 18.

01:29Unfortunately, not everybody can make the last 18.

01:31You have to go with a squad that wants to, you know, we're looking at a certain way to play.

01:36We have to find players who will fit that style.

01:39And I think we have done. I think we have got the best 18 boys in the county.

01:43But today, they went out and showed they were.

01:45Obviously, they had a tough game against the county interim side on Monday,

01:48against a lot of their friends, a lot of their teammates when they finish this tournament.

01:52That's always a nervous one because they're sort of going,

01:54maybe they're not going to that tackle because they're best friends with them and things like that.

01:58But yesterday and today, against Chartland, against Tottenham,

02:02I mean, the boys showed. They were fantastic.

02:04I'm curious to know, because boys will be boys.

02:06What do they do in their downtime when their match is over at five o'clock?

02:09I know they might watch the Premiers or watch other games on and on.

02:12What do they do?

02:14Well, Premiers, we went there on Monday, obviously watched the Premiers.

02:17We had a good one against the country interim on Monday night,

02:19which is great because they like getting around because they like to show off the tracks.

02:22You know what I mean? So they like getting out there.

02:23Every night they're going, can we go to a game? Can we go to a game?

02:26Last night, for instance, we finished around about five.

02:29By the time we get back to get their tea,

02:31we're aiming to go back down and watch the Premiers tonight.

02:33But last night's downtime sort of involved a bit of a pool session, sort of recovery,

02:38a bit of a foam rolling stretching session for them.

02:41And then there was a FIFA tournament between the boys, the coaches.

02:44A lot of the coaches, unfortunately, got beat.

02:46You know what I mean? But the kids are loving it.

02:48But other than that, they're just sort of, you go around the hotel,

02:51there's maybe three or four sitting there.

02:53You know, different wee areas and they're just talking about different things.

02:55Things they don't get to do during their season because, you know,

02:58they're competing against each other.

02:59But it's nice for them to sit down and go, do you remember that game last season?

03:02Do you remember this game last season?

03:04Other than that, obviously, the coaches try to come up with other wee things

03:07to keep them active.

03:08You know, there's different wee activities.

03:11I think Blaine's got one.

03:13Our physio's got one up on Instagram at the minute where it's a reaction one,

03:16where they're all standing there trying to see things dropping.

03:19So it's a challenge in itself because, you know what?

03:21They still want to run around the hotel.

03:22They're still kids at the end of the day.

03:24So you're telling me you're not the best at FIFA?

03:26Unfortunately not, no.

03:27I'm not at 41.

03:28I've been playing since FIFA 95.

03:30So not anymore.

03:32Best of luck for the rest of the week.

03:33No, I appreciate it, Johnny.

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