Following
The Chance World Tour stop in Turin, Italy, the squad landed in Manchester,
England, for a week of training and football culture immersion at Manchester
United’s Carrington facility.
United’s
reserve team coach Warren Joyce welcomed the finalists and quickly turned them
loose for a short, sharp and possession-focused session ahead of their fixture
against the Manchester United Under-19s. Speaking with Nike Academy Head Coach
Jimmy Gilligan after training, Joyce praised the work-rate and technical
ability on show. No doubt this had something to do with the fact that Gilligan
had told the players that not one, but three of them would be selected for the
Academy.
The
next day brought heavy snowfall and the match against Manchester United
Under-19s. A fast-paced first half in which The Chance finalists struggled to
assert themselves, trailing 2-0 at half-time. Fresh legs for the second half
resulted in a much-improved performance, allowing Alami-Bazza (Spain) to pull a
goal back with a powerful free kick. Despite the 2-1 loss, the squad took a lot
of positives from the second-half display and were looking forward to the rest
of their time in Manchester.
The
following day Brian McClair, former United forward and current club Director of
Youth, ran a high-energy shooting session before Coach Gilligan took the squad
through some defensive exercises to address their first-half play against the
United Under-19s. Day 27 of the tour called for Intensive fitness coaching.
Tony Strudwick, Manchester United’s strength and conditioning expert, put the
squad through their paces during a one-hour session that tested the players’
acceleration and power before they headed to the gym for a yoga class. This
turned out to be far more exhausting than many had expected, and Sarah Ramsden,
the club’s yoga coach, stayed behind afterwards to answer questions.
The
finalists were reunited with Strudwick the following day for a tough fitness
routine overseen by Sir Alex Ferguson. Later, the lads gained invaluable
insight into life as a Manchester United player during a meet-and-greet with
the senior squad; a guided tour of Old Trafford from Tom Cleverly, Chris
Smalling and Danny Welbeck; and dinner with Rio Ferdinand at his restaurant.
The Chance finalists also had the opportunity to take in Manchester City’s 4-0
win over Leeds in the FA Cup, enjoy a traditional English roast and practice in
further training sessions, including a SPARQ test won by Balbi (Spain).
Next
up for The Chance Global Tour: the National Football Centre at St George’s
Park.
