JENNINGS AND MAGILTON MAKE THE DRAW
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has proved he is a man of his word.
Last year in Belfast he promised to send a team from White Hart Lane to contest the Milk Cup tournament after making the draw.
Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings revealed Redknapp had delivered for the organisers of the top youth football tournament.
Former Spurs and Arsenal keeper Jennings said: “Harry was so impressed with the high standard of the competition that he pledged to see Spurs return and I’m pleased he has been able to keep that promise.”
Jennings, who made a record 119 appearances for Northern Ireland, is still involved with Spurs as a goalkeeping coach and is pleased to see them return. In the past England striker Peter Crouch and Ledley King both competed at the event and Spurs were winners in 1990.
Six of the current Tottenham squad played at the competition. Aaron Lennon appeared with Leeds United and Gareth Bale featured with the Wales national team. Jermaine Defoe and Jonathan Woodgate also cut their teeth at the tournament.
This summer Spurs latest batch of hopefuls will compete in the Premier event alongside holders Manchester United and Chelsea. They kick off with a game against Co. Londonderry before meeting Belgian newcomers KV Mechelen.
Also taking part in the July event will be Japan’s national Under-20 side while J League champions Kashima Antlers will compete in the Junior competition.
Jennings said: “The Milk Cup retains its reputation for attracting top international competitors. That is a credit to the organisers who refuse to rest on their laurels.
“The line up for 2010 is exceptional and ensures that the competition maintains its position as one of the leading youth tournaments anywhere in the world.
Another former Northern Ireland star, Jim Magilton, helped Jennings make the draw. The ex-Ipswich Town and QPR manager played at the tournament in 1985 with Ulster youth club outfit Star of the Sea.
He said: “It was the first major competition I ever played in and it was a memorable experience for me. You learn so much about yourself and your ability competing in a tournament like the Milk Cup, coming up against some of the best players in the world at your age group.
“When I was manager of Ipswich I was happy to send a team to the tournament because it is so important in the development of young players.”
The tournament kicks off on Monday, July 26, following a parade of the 54 competing teams through Coleraine the previous day.
The draw for the opening two days is as follows:
JUNIOR
Monday - Swindon Town v Cruz Azul; Everton v FC Puebla; Chelsea v South Coast Bayern; Club Marcet v Co. Londonderry; Dundalk Schoolboys v Co. Antrim; Queen of the South v Co. Armagh; Vaag FK v Hapoel Haifa; Kashima Antlers v Aspire; Spartak Moscow v Hapoel Beersheba; Plymouth Argyle v Co. Tyrone; Watford v Co. Down; Brentford v Co. Fermanagh.
Tuesday – Co. Londonderry v Swindon Town; Co. Antrim v Everton; Co. Armagh v Chelsea; Cruz Azul v Club Marcet; FC Puebla v Dundalk Schoolboys; South Coast Bayern v Queen of the South; Hapoel Haifa v Plymouth Argyle; Aspire v Watford; Hapoel Beersheba v Brentford; Co. Tyrone v Vaag FK; Co. Down v Kashima Antlers; Co. Fermanagh v Spartak Moscow.
PREMIER
Monday, July 26 – Tottenham Hotspur v Co. Londonderry; Sheffield Utd v Co. Armagh; Manchester Utd v Co. Tyrone; Shamrock Rovers v KV Mechelen; Cherry Orchard v Etoile Lusitana; Queen of the South v Aspire. FC Porto v Club Marcet; South Coast Bayern v Saint Augustin; Deportivo v Cruz Azul; Belvedere v Co. Fermanagh; Donegal Schoolboys v Co. Antrim; Hartlepool v Co. Down.
Tuesday, July 27 – KV Mechelen v Tottenham Hotspur; Etoile Lusitana v Sheffield Utd; Aspire v Manchester Utd; Co. Londonderry v Shamrock Rovers; Co. Armagh v Cherry Orchard; Co. Tyrone v Queen of the South; Club Marcet v Belvedere; Saint Augustin v Donegal Schools; Cruz Azul v Hartlepool Utd; Co. Fermanagh v FC Porto; Co. Antrim v South Coast Bayern; Co. Down v Deportivo Brazil.
ELITE
Monday, July 26 – Northern Ireland v Mexico; USA v China; Japan v Denmark.
Wednesday, July 28 - Mexico v Japan; China v Northern Ireland; Denmark v USA.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has proved he is a man of his word.
Last year in Belfast he promised to send a team from White Hart Lane to contest the Milk Cup tournament after making the draw.
Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings revealed Redknapp had delivered for the organisers of the top youth football tournament.
Former Spurs and Arsenal keeper Jennings said: “Harry was so impressed with the high standard of the competition that he pledged to see Spurs return and I’m pleased he has been able to keep that promise.”
Jennings, who made a record 119 appearances for Northern Ireland, is still involved with Spurs as a goalkeeping coach and is pleased to see them return. In the past England striker Peter Crouch and Ledley King both competed at the event and Spurs were winners in 1990.
Six of the current Tottenham squad played at the competition. Aaron Lennon appeared with Leeds United and Gareth Bale featured with the Wales national team. Jermaine Defoe and Jonathan Woodgate also cut their teeth at the tournament.
This summer Spurs latest batch of hopefuls will compete in the Premier event alongside holders Manchester United and Chelsea. They kick off with a game against Co. Londonderry before meeting Belgian newcomers KV Mechelen.
Also taking part in the July event will be Japan’s national Under-20 side while J League champions Kashima Antlers will compete in the Junior competition.
Jennings said: “The Milk Cup retains its reputation for attracting top international competitors. That is a credit to the organisers who refuse to rest on their laurels.
“The line up for 2010 is exceptional and ensures that the competition maintains its position as one of the leading youth tournaments anywhere in the world.
Another former Northern Ireland star, Jim Magilton, helped Jennings make the draw. The ex-Ipswich Town and QPR manager played at the tournament in 1985 with Ulster youth club outfit Star of the Sea.
He said: “It was the first major competition I ever played in and it was a memorable experience for me. You learn so much about yourself and your ability competing in a tournament like the Milk Cup, coming up against some of the best players in the world at your age group.
“When I was manager of Ipswich I was happy to send a team to the tournament because it is so important in the development of young players.”
The tournament kicks off on Monday, July 26, following a parade of the 54 competing teams through Coleraine the previous day.
The draw for the opening two days is as follows:
JUNIOR
Monday - Swindon Town v Cruz Azul; Everton v FC Puebla; Chelsea v South Coast Bayern; Club Marcet v Co. Londonderry; Dundalk Schoolboys v Co. Antrim; Queen of the South v Co. Armagh; Vaag FK v Hapoel Haifa; Kashima Antlers v Aspire; Spartak Moscow v Hapoel Beersheba; Plymouth Argyle v Co. Tyrone; Watford v Co. Down; Brentford v Co. Fermanagh.
Tuesday – Co. Londonderry v Swindon Town; Co. Antrim v Everton; Co. Armagh v Chelsea; Cruz Azul v Club Marcet; FC Puebla v Dundalk Schoolboys; South Coast Bayern v Queen of the South; Hapoel Haifa v Plymouth Argyle; Aspire v Watford; Hapoel Beersheba v Brentford; Co. Tyrone v Vaag FK; Co. Down v Kashima Antlers; Co. Fermanagh v Spartak Moscow.
PREMIER
Monday, July 26 – Tottenham Hotspur v Co. Londonderry; Sheffield Utd v Co. Armagh; Manchester Utd v Co. Tyrone; Shamrock Rovers v KV Mechelen; Cherry Orchard v Etoile Lusitana; Queen of the South v Aspire. FC Porto v Club Marcet; South Coast Bayern v Saint Augustin; Deportivo v Cruz Azul; Belvedere v Co. Fermanagh; Donegal Schoolboys v Co. Antrim; Hartlepool v Co. Down.
Tuesday, July 27 – KV Mechelen v Tottenham Hotspur; Etoile Lusitana v Sheffield Utd; Aspire v Manchester Utd; Co. Londonderry v Shamrock Rovers; Co. Armagh v Cherry Orchard; Co. Tyrone v Queen of the South; Club Marcet v Belvedere; Saint Augustin v Donegal Schools; Cruz Azul v Hartlepool Utd; Co. Fermanagh v FC Porto; Co. Antrim v South Coast Bayern; Co. Down v Deportivo Brazil.
ELITE
Monday, July 26 – Northern Ireland v Mexico; USA v China; Japan v Denmark.
Wednesday, July 28 - Mexico v Japan; China v Northern Ireland; Denmark v USA.
