A Northern Ireland U14 development team will be competing in a tournament in the Netherlands which starts at the end of this week.
The 20-strong squad are set to play in the Den Bosch International Tournament in the Dutch city of ’s-Hertogenbosch.
The U14 players, who are all part of the Irish FA’s National Performance Programme, will initially compete in three group matches, with at least one more match to follow.
They are due to fly to the Netherlands on Friday (26 May) and they will play their group games the following day.
First up is a match against Swedish side Djurgardens at De Vliert, the home of FC Den Bosch, who compete in the Eerste Divisie (Dutch second division).
They will then transfer to Sportpark De Vliert, the home of amateur side BVV, which is a partner club of FC Den Bosch. At that venue they will play Danish team Kolding IF and Dutch side VVV Venlo.
Following the group phase they will have at least one more match on Sunday (28 May). And if they win that one there will be a fifth game that day. There’s also a possibility that they will play a sixth match the following day if they win both of their matches on Sunday.
Other teams competing in the tournament include Manchester United, Club Brugge and KV Oostende (both BEL) plus Aarhus, B93 and Silkeborg (all DEN). Dutch teams taking part include PSV Eindhoven, FC Den Bosch, FC Volendam and NEC Nijmegen.
Looking after the Northern Ireland group will be coaches Michael McClean, Kris Lindsay, Rory Hale and David Miskelly (goalkeeping coach).
The Den Bosch International Tournament, which has been endorsed by former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Netherlands striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who began his career at FC Den Bosch, is a four-sport international event which also features basketball, hockey and rugby.
The Northern Ireland U14 squad for the Den Bosch International Tournament is as follows:
Goalkeepers – Matthew Hayman (Dungannon United Youth), Cole Smyth (Derry City).
Defenders – Jack Johnston and Jamie Johnston (both Dungannon United Youth), Calum Anderson and Jake Hirthe (both Linfield), Paul Stanfield (Cliftonville), Ross Campbell (Greenisland), Charlie Campbell (Glentoran).
Midfielders - Max Strong (Ballymena United), Caleb Sweeney (Greenisland), Emmett Morrison (Derry City), Ryan Lagan (Rosario), Cameron Reid (Glentoran).
Forwards - Stephen Kelly and Jack May (both Linfield), Matthew McCann and Joel Kerr (both Glentoran), Luke Hawe (Ballymena United), Coran Madden (Cliftonville).
Main image: Linfield's Jack May and Greenisland's Ross Campbell.
