APIA: The Samoa U-15 national team departed for the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland last week, but not before receiving a set of brand new adidas football boots from a Good Samaritan in Hawaii.
On hearing about the plight of the young players that many of them were training in bare feet, Pacific Magazine editor Scott Whitney called up Samoan coach, David Brand, and made the generous offer to supply boots. Samoa’s national airline Polynesian Airlines got into the act and helped ship the boots to Samoa free of charge.
“The boys were just over the moon,” coach Brand said. “They were rapped with the boots and we cannot thank Pacific Magazine and Polynesian Airlines enough for their support. We sang happy birthday to the feet the day we got the boots. The smiles on the faces will remain with me for a long time.”
Meanwhile, the team has arrived in the north-west of England where they will be playing a series of warm up games leading up to the Milk Cup which kicks off this weekend. Brand, who is originally from Manchester, confirmed warm up games against Everton and Nottingham Forrest. The delegation of twenty players and seven officials will also get to visit Old Trafford and several schools in the Manchester area for a cultural exchange.
The delegation then departs for Belfast via London on 16 July. For the Milk Cup, Samoa has been drawn in Group One (Junior Division) alongside Preston North End (England), Livingston (Scotland), County Armagh (Northern Ireland). More information on this tournament can be found on this website www.nimilkcup.org
The Milk Cup is one of the most prestigious youth tournaments in the northern hemisphere regularly attracting big name clubs and international teams from around the world. England captain David Beckham is just one player to have graced the Milk Cup in previous years. This year’s tournament runs from 19-25 July with Oceania being assisting and being represented by Samoa as part of its commitment to youth development. The Otago Youth team from New Zealand is another team from Oceania taking part and have the tough, yet envious task of playing Manchester United in their group.