A mixture of Under 11, 12 & 13 Shadow Squad players have just returned following participating in the Euro Benjamins 2010 tournament held in Freyming Merlebach, France close to the city of Saarbruken, on the border of Germany and have performed very well both on and off the pitch.
The 9v9 tournament played host to 29 teams including French, Italian and Polish teams with Southend United having three squads participating. In total there were 4 groups with Southend in a different group to each other, which enabled all our players to challenge their football against new opposition from around Europe and performed very well.
The fixtures were 15 minutes long, so the games were short and fast although easily enough time to express themselves. The fixtures were all played in the Stade Olympic Stadium of Freyming Merlebach on good grass pitches, under the hot sun which beamed down throughout the weekend.
The three squads consisted of nine players each to ensure they could all get maximum time to play as the break between games was good to rest, relax prior to working hard for the next fixture. Southend 1 were placed in Group A, Southend 2 were in Group B with Southend in Group 3.
Our journey to this tournament was conducted by road, which saw the players drive through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and back into France. Although this sounds the long way round, it works as one of the quickest routes and the journey itself was great. The players conducted themselves very well considering the miles they travelled. On arrival to the tournament stadium, we were greeted as always by the staff of the tournament with super hospitality and the players were soon tucking into their favourite French bread and Pasta dish for dinner.
With a quick look round the small stadium to provide the players with the arena they were to play in for the next two days, it was then off to our accommodation complex, which was just five minutes away. The players unpacked and had a team talk with their coaches before getting their heads down ready for the football the next morning.
The tournament opened as per usual with National Anthems being played by a local band with several speeches in French. This may have been the first time the players would have had their national anthem played prior to playing football with a crowd watching, so this was a new experience, which I believe they would have enjoyed.
The games were soon up and running with the following results recorded by the teams on the first day:
Southend 1 v KS Czarni Naklo 2 (Poland) Won 2-0
v SO Merlebach 2 Won 2-0
v US Farebersviller 05 Drew 0-0
v EN St Avold Drew 0-0
Southend 2 v KS Czarni Naklo 1 (Poland) Drew 0-0
v ES Moselle Est Drew 0-0
v FC L'Hopital 1 Drew 0-0
v US Forbach Lost 0-2
Southend 3 v Corinaldo Calcio (Italian) Won 1-0
v FC Freyming 06 Lost 0-1
v FC L'Hoptial 2 Drew 1-1
v USB Longwy Lost 0-4
The fixtures were all tough and close although Southend 3 did find USB Longwy a very tough challenge due to the physical side of their opposition, although credit to the players they continued to work hard throughout the game. This tournament is different to many others due to the times of games and structure so it was important to score and not concede. Too many draws would prevent teams qualifying for the next stage (Quarter Finals)
The players were certainly trying their best to score and created numerous opportunities, however were not always successful.
The end of the first day saw Southend 1 on 8 points, Southend 2 on 3 points and Southend 3 on 4 points in their respected groups, so Sunday was important to collect more points.
Sunday's Fixtures came and went as follows:
Southend 1 v APM Metz Won 1-0
v US Behren Won 2-0
v JS Wenheck Won 4-0
Southend 2 v SG Marienau 2 Drew 0-0
v AC Blainville Dam Won 1-0
Southend 3 v SG Marienau 1 Lost 1-2
v JS Ars Laquenexy Won 1-0
These set of scores demonstrated the following aspects to the players and staff
Southend 1 - Beginning to take their chances and continuing to be solid at the back as they are yet to concede a goal. They needed to win all 3 games on Sun to qualify
so you can see how tough it was too qualify from the group stages
Southend 2 - Played some great football but lacked the killer touch to turn 1 point into 3 points. Rarely looked like conceding
Southend 3 - The youngest group were great. They won two games and they all continued to play and work hard for each other and scored some cracking goals.
The tables ended in the following format
Group A Pts Group B Pts Group C Pts Group D Pts
Southend 1 17 KS Czarni 1 12 USB Longwy 13 FC Devant Les 16
APM Metz 16 SG Marienau 2 11 SG Marienau 1 12 Merlebach 1 13
EN St Avold 14 FC L'Hoptial 10 FC Freyming 10 US Valmont 10
US Fareber's 13 AC Blainville 8 Southend 3 7 US Ruch Carvin 10
JS Wenheck 10 Southend 2 7 FC L'Hoptial 6 FDS 9
SO Merlebach 4 US Forbach 7 Corinaldo Cal 5 FC Hochwald 3
US Behren 4 ES Moselle 1 JS Ars Laquen 3 ES Petitie Mos 0
KS Czarni 2 1
Looking back at the results in each group, Southend 2 knew the draw v ES Moselle and the defeat to Forbach prevented their chances of qualification. Southend 3 had given all their best efforts and we were proud of their achievements and maybe if the narrow defeats could have been turned into draws, who knows what may have happened. Southend 1 beat Metz 1-0 by a great strike by Kye Jude and this result set the players on to a very good Sunday morning, which eventually saw them qualify.
With the top two qualifying from each group to the quarter finals, Southend 1 saw them pair against SG Marienau 2 and despite hitting the crossbar and having the best chances in the game, the game finished 0-0 and went to a penalty shoot-out. Three players immediately requested to take a penalty and therefore they were given the opportunity to take one each. Billy Howard stepped up first and scored, then SG Marienau equalised, Peter Collis then stepped up and missed - His penalty went wide of the target. Marienau scored again so Sean King needed to score, which he did. Sean now needed to save the next one, however Marienau putted their final and third penalty in to settle the game.
It was a great effort by the players and although the players were disappointed particularly Pete Collis, they should hold their heads up high as should every player as theu were a credit to the club.
APM Metz eventually went on to win the tournament 1-0 in the final v FC Devant Les Ponts, who were favourites at the start. Southend 1 had beaten the eventual champions in the group stage and had not conceded a goal, but the game is about scoring goals as well.
Overall the tour I believe was a great success and I hope that all the players enjoyed this experience. They demonstrated positive aspects throughout and will shortly receive their assessments of the tour so they can continue to develop areas for improvement and also recognise areas they continually demonstrate well.
I would also like to thank everyone as this tour was my last at the club. It has been a pleasure and positive experience working with all the Shadow Squad players and wish them all the very best for the future.
Marc Tracy
