FIFA Under 20s World Cup - Egypt

[ant london]

Don't know if you guys knew that this was happening (I must confess that I only found out a few weeks back) but I shall be donning my hat as chief scout for the forum over the course of this tournament (I have a couple of lots of tickets sorted so far and hopefully shall get more).

Obviously, excitingly as City fan, it's not just the overseas talent I shall be able to watch but also what looks likely to be at least a three-strong MCFC representation (Javan Vidal, Ben Mee and Adam Clayton all featured in the squad for the 5-0 victory over Montenegro last week)

In terms of the teams taking part, well they are set out here (in terms of vested interest in the forum population we have England, USA, Australia, UAE, Germany and Italy all featuring). I don't think it's too hard to pick out the whipping boys from that bunch. Two teams who are conspicuous by their absence are (for me) Argentina and France.

http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/teams/index.html

Only downside (once again for a FIFA tournament) is the timing of this. It starts late September and runs through to mid-October which I'd imagine will co-incide with some of the Carling Cup games in which these lads could potentially figure.

Finally, England's qualification group consists:

England
Ghana
Uruguay and
Uzbekistan

If any of you would like me to provide feedback on any youngsters you find out are featuring then I shall endeavour to watch them and give a bit of a scouting report on them.

شكرا

Selection process starts now

By Nicholas Veevers - Wednesday, 12 August, 2009
Head Coach hoping for strong World Cup squad.

England U20s Head Coach Brian Eastick saw his side put in their final preparations for the World Cup on Tuesday with a convincing display against Montenegro, and now he is looking to secure the services of the players involved for September’s tournament in Egypt.

With the competition taking place in September and October, it obviously lands just after the start of the English season, meaning clubs may be reluctant to release their players for action.

Eastick is still unsure which of the players will be available to him for selection but is hoping the issue can be resolved over the coming weeks.

“The players involved all did very well, but the trick now is getting them to Egypt,” he said.

“That will be down to their clubs, but I do think that the players themselves are keen to come.

“We will just have to wait and see what reaction we get from the clubs and it’s difficult to say at this moment which of these players we will get.”

With the timing of the World Cup likely to affect other European nations involved such as Italy, Germany and Czech Republic too, Eastick just wants to be able to take as strong a squad as possible but with many of the players involved in their various first team squads or out on loan, it could see his selection hopes hampered.

It is something that The FA’s Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking is now looking to help resolve.

“I know that Sir Trevor Brooking is looking into it with the PGB (Professional Game Board) and it will be a case of wait and see and hopefully in the next two weeks we will be able to solve it,” he added.

“We have to put an initial squad of 30 players into FIFA and we can’t change that once it’s done, so we’ve got to make sure that those 30 players have a very realistic chance of going with us.

“We then narrow that down to a squad of 21 players and we want to take as strong a squad as possible for what will be a terrific competition for any young player to experience.”

[mr_nool]

I'm really rooting for Uzbekistan. They have a mint team, with a lot of promising youngsters.

[Tokyo Blue]

I'll be interested in the City players obviously, but also to see players from some other countries. The African teams are always worth a look and I want to try and catch Tahiti at some point.

[Fidel Castro]

Ghana have a good team, don't they? At least they did have at the U-17's or whatever it was a few years back so I'm guessing it'll more or less the same squad now

[Abu Dhabi]

Come on Asian Champions !!

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Ghana have a good team, don't they? At least they did have at the U-17's or whatever it was a few years back so I'm guessing it'll more or less the same squad now

Yeah. The players are only 42 now whereas they were only about 37 in last U-17 tournament from what I saw.

[Ted Hughes]

I'll be interested in the City players obviously, but also to see players from some other countries. The African teams are always worth a look and I want to try and catch Tahiti at some point.

I had that once. Nightmare going for a piss.

[Fidel Castro]

Ghana have a good team, don't they? At least they did have at the U-17's or whatever it was a few years back so I'm guessing it'll more or less the same squad now

Yeah. The players are only 42 now whereas they were only about 37 in last U-17 tournament from what I saw.

Haha. I've always been a bit suspicious of these young Africans. However, if they really are 10 years older than they claim, surely they'd turn to shit when they're about 25 (cos in fact they'd be 35)??? Mickael Essien is the best and fittest 36-year-old football player I've ever witnessed. Sammy Eto'o isn't bad for a 39-year-old either actually. And Roger Milla was 50 and still scoring goals at a World Cup!