Blues - Waterford United FC Programme v Shelbourne Friday 9th May 2014 | Page 5

Karel Stegeman ToernooiJohn Kehoe
2014
by
Next month Waterford United’s U19s will travel to boasted future Premier League stars Martin Laursen
Holland to take part in the 30th staging of the Karel (Silkeborg & Aston Villa), Alex Manninger (Casino
Stegeman Toernooi. A prestigious invitational event Salzburg & Arsenal), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Dinamo
that brings together some of the cream of Europe’s Stavropol & Spurs) and Aleksandar Kolarov (FK
U19 talent each year, it is one of the seven major Cukaricki & Man City), and there were players who
international tournaments at the age group, and went on to play internationally for countries as far
represents a great honour for the young Blues to be afield as Haiti, Japan and Zambia. Even former Blue
chosen for the first time, and only the second time for Robbie Hedderman graced the competition while at
any side from the League of Ireland (Shamrock Rovers Aberdeen in 2001!
took part way back in 1990).
The 12 competing teams this year have been drawn
“We are all really looking forward to playing in in two pools, and United’s youngsters will be taking
the Karl Stegeman Toernooi in June. It is a fantastic on Halmstads, AS Trencin, Cercle Brugge, Sandefjord
opportunity for our young players to play against and Twents Talenten in a very tough group. Swedish
top European opposition,” Blues U19 boss Johnny side Halmstads are making their fourth appearance
Browne said last month. “In our group we have Dutch, at the tournament, and are managed by former
Swedish, and Belgian teams to mention a few and we Southampton centre back Michael Svensson, Much of
look forward to pitting our wits against
the side consists of the team who were
theses top European clubs”
runners up at U17 level two years ago.
This year’s tournament will be run
As mentioned above, AS Trencin are
across the Dutch Whit weekend of June
the returning tournament champions, as
7,8 and 9, taking place, as it has done
well the reigning Slovak champions at
on each of the 29 previous occasions, at
their age level, and Belgium’s Cercle
the grounds VV Ruurlo, an amateur side
Brugge were the previous winners
from a small market town of the same
of the tournament in 2012, and they
name in the east of the country. Clubs
finished 3rd last time out. Sandefjord
from the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden,
Fotball return for a third appearance,
Norway, Finland, Serbia, Slovakia and
having recorded creditable 7th and
Cyprus make up the 12 participants,
8th place finishes in 2011 and 2012.
two of which are the most recent
Their domestic season has only just got
tournament winners, Cercle Brugge of
underway, and though at the fourth tier
Belgium in 2012, and Slovakia’s AS
of Norwegian football they compete
Trencin last year.
Slovakia’s AS Trencin, one of in a full adult league. Finally, from
Some well known names in two returning champions in Holland, the Twents Talent Team – a
Waterford’s pool
European football have claimed the
sort ETP equivalent, but associated with
trophy over the 30 years since it was
the FC Twente club – return to try and
first won by the Hampshire Youth FA side in 1985, improve on their 4th place showing in 2013.
names very recognizable to the serious fan, such as The second pool consists of Belgium’s KAA Gent,
Elfsborg of Sweden, Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, and FK Rad Beograd from Serbia, Cypriot club Omonia
Germany’s Carl Zeiss Jena, as well as better known Nicosia – like the Blues making their first appearance at
clubs like Millwall and Barnsley, and Dynamo Kiev the tournament, Sweden’s Djurgardens, the wonderfully
who won back-to-back titles in 1990 and ’91. Other named FC Honka from Finland, and the host side VV
well known clubs who have taken part over the years Ruurlo’s U21 team.
include Aberdeen, Dinamo Zagreb, Ferencvaros, IFK An exciting and rewarding adventure awaits the
Goteborg, PSV Eindhoven and Wolves.
young Blues, as the club send ́