2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup (June 18 - July 10)

[LittleOzzy]

[LittleOzzy]

Congo cooking up a Mexican surprise

Drawn into a daunting group at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2011, Congo coach Eddie Hudanski and his players have been spurred on by the challenge and are determined to find an escape route through to the knockout stages. Having set off for France for their final preparations ahead of Mexico 2011, the Devils are resolved to double their preparatory efforts in the wake of a draw that lines them up against the talented hosts as well as the champions of both Europe and Asia.

Congo will play in one of four matches on the opening day of the tournament, 18 June, and will take on the highly-rated Netherlands before meeting Mexico three days later in Morelia and Korea DPR another three days after that. Such a task may seem overwhelming for Congolese hopes, but Hudanski would only be drawn to describe the challenge as “very interesting."

“Taking on the home nation in their own country is something really tough,” said the well-travelled French coach. “Mexico at home is a big morsel to eat. But African football must go into these tournaments without any complexes and play to win, not just to compete."

Hudanski has also been studying tapes from the recent UEFA European U-17 Championship to get a sense about the Netherlands. “The Dutch are a very solid team,” he said. “The unknown factor is Korea, but they could be something very interesting too. To have to start against the reigning European champions is perhaps not the best option, but we will be prepared for every match.”

http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/news/ne ... index.html

[LittleOzzy]

New-look Aussies seek Oranje success

Australia will be looking to make a mark on their return to the FIFA U-17 World Cup next month in Mexico, after an absence of six years. The Joeys, as Australia’s youngest national team are known, were a perennial fixture in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, appearing in every tournament, bar one, up until 2005. Invariably they did far more than make up the numbers and Brazil needed a penalty shootout to edge past the Joeys in the 1999 final.

Now, six years on from Peru 2005 where they made a meek first-round exit, the team from Down Under are back. Under Dutchman Jan Versleijen, who has coached at club level in the Netherlands, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as the national U-17 and U-23 teams in his native land, the Aussies are seeking to clamber to new heights using a fresh approach.

The tell-tale signs were there as Versleijen led the Australia U-20s at Egypt 2009, where the team played a possession-based passing game, setting-up in a classic Dutch 4-3-3 formation. But it is now, three years into his tenure as Australia national youth coach, that Versleijen hopes to see his plans bear fruit, starting with Mexico 2011.

http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/news/ne ... index.html

[5DOM]

Lucas Piazon and Wallace (40% Chelsea-owned) are going to play for Brazil, and Nathaniel Chalobah will captain the England side. I think Bertrand Traore, the 14 or 15 y/o we signed last year, is going to play for Burkina Faso too.

[NYKhooligan]

U-17 friendly Uruguay 5 Mexico 2

[IronChef]

Look forward to seeing Burkina Faso play, they're all 6'2 and probably 24 yrs. old.

I wonder if Serge Gnabry will play for Germany. I'm eager to see him play, as I've heard good things. He's only 15 or 16 though so it may be too early.

[NYKhooligan]

Look forward to seeing Burkina Faso play, they're all 6'2 and probably 24 yrs. old.

I wonder if Serge Gnabry will play for Germany. I'm eager to see him play, as I've heard good things. He's only 15 or 16 though so it may be too early.

haha yeah thats a myth of the african nations... since they have no record of when and where they were boarn , they put grown man to play on the youth teams

[IronChef]

Look forward to seeing Burkina Faso play, they're all 6'2 and probably 24 yrs. old.

I wonder if Serge Gnabry will play for Germany. I'm eager to see him play, as I've heard good things. He's only 15 or 16 though so it may be too early.

haha yeah thats a myth of the african nations... since they have no record of when and where they were boarn , they put grown man to play on the youth teams

There was a scandal with the Nigerian team a couple years ago, iirc. When they introduced the wrist scanning to determine age they had 15 members of their 23 man U-21 squad ruled ineligible due to being too old.



I remember when Kolo Toure came to Arsenal he was supposed to be 18 yrs. old or something, but he already had a thick, bristly moustache and looked at least 25.

[BC_]

A friend of mine had a full beard when he was 13, played for the Australian U14, U16 and U18 rugby league teams, then faded into obscurity when his peers hit manhood.

[Varejao17]

Guilherme (Vasco da Gama's player) is gonna play for Brazil, take a look at him, he's a very good player, scored a beatiful goal against Argentine in the conmebol u17...

[LittleOzzy]

Jong Oranje ripe for global test

After falling short at the final hurdle in 2005 and 2009, the Netherlands finally claimed their maiden UEFA European U-17 Championship title in Serbia this month. For triumphant coach Albert Stuivenberg, that continental crown represented just reward for a gifted group of individuals conscious of the need to work together.

“The players realise that if they’re going to get a result, they won’t be able to do it without the help of their team-mates,” the Jong Oranje tactician told FIFA.com. “It sounds straightforward, but it’s an important point. This European title belongs to the whole squad as they coped with the pressure perfectly.”

Their capacity to rise to an occasion was especially evident in the final against Germany on 15 May, when the Netherlands twice fell behind only to engineer a 5-2 success thanks to a superlative second-half display. Not only were Stuivenberg’s charges able to rally and clinch their nation’s first major trophy at this level, they fired more goals in the showpiece than any other team in the history of the competition.

"We’re progressing,” said Stuivenberg. “We’ve been more solid from start to finish this year. We came very close to the title in the last two European Championships and this time we went all the way. We tried to develop our play, improve and get stronger. We prepared for that all season and it’s gratifying when it brings you a title at the end. The players gave the best of themselves at the right time, coping perfectly with the pressure which a tournament like that can bring.”

Knocked out in the group stage at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, the new European champions will now have a reputation to defend at this summer’s tournament in Mexico, where they will arrive eight days before their opening match against Congo. “We need that to acclimatise and get used to the time difference,” explained Stuivenberg, who hoped for even longer to prepare. “A week is too short, but quite a few players have school exams before that.”

http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/news/ne ... index.html

[LittleOzzy]

Six Whitecaps FC Residency players called up to U-17 Canadian national team

Canadian Soccer Association announced today that six members of Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency have been called up to Canada's U-17 national team in advance of this month’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Residency defenders Adam Polakiewicz and Daniel Stanese join midfielders Bryce Alderson, Wesley Cain, Yassin Essa, and Matteo Pasquotti on head coach Sean Fleming's 23-player squad that will travel to Pachuca, Mexico, for final preparations on Wednesday. As part of their build-up for Mexico 2011, Canada will play two international friendlies versus Ecuador on Saturday and Australia next Monday.

Five of the six selected Residency players took part in Canada's successful qualification for their first U-17 World Cup since 1995 when they led their country to a runners-up finish at the 2011 CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Joining that quintet is speedy attacker Essa, who impressed Fleming during recent U-17 national team training camps.

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/06 ... ional-team

Great news for the Whitecaps system, clearly it's producing players for Canada.

[LittleOzzy]

Eight Toronto FC Academy players named to U-17 World Cup squad

Director or Toronto FC Academy, Stuart Neely, was beaming with pride Tuesday afternoon when it was revealed that eight TFC players had been named to the Canada squad for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

“We at Toronto FC are extremely proud of the players and their accomplishment,” said Neely.

“We know how hard they work here and the competition within our team for spots, so we know they have earned this right to represent Canada on the world stage.”

The eight players named to the 23-man roster are goalkeepers Quillan Roberts and Chad Bush; defenders Tyler Pasher and Parker Seymour; midfielders Omari Morris, Sergio Camargo, and Michael Petrasso; along with forward Jay Chapman.

Complementing the Toronto eight, Canada U-17 head coach, Sean Fleming, looked to Vancouver’s youth side for six players and drew another three from the Montreal Impact.

Neely said he speaks with Fleming “four to five times a month” and that makes the selection process easier for both parties. Neely and Toronto FC fully back Fleming and the national team.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2011/06/ne ... bound-reds

Looks like TFC has even more players involved. Very good to see from both TFC and Vancouver.

[LittleOzzy]

Squads set for Mexico 2011

The 502 players that will chase glory at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico have been officially announced. The 24 teams, from all six of FIFA’s confederations, have submitted their squad lists and the announcement was made on 13 June. The hunt for the title will begin in earnest on 18 June, with the 14th edition of the junior world showpiece running through to 10 July.

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournam ... dlists.pdf

[bbms]

Wallace seems to be a stud, great physical and technical tools, and now is Mariano's(Fluminense right back, one of the best at Brasileirao) first sub, but he didn't play well at Sudamericano Sub-17.

[edfmx86]

I missed the opener

good to see El Tri get the win tho!

[AdamTheGreek]

That Arriola guy is a **** beast. Carved up those Czechs today.

[LittleOzzy]

Brazil/Denmark should be a really good match today.

[5DOM]

Definitely watching that game.

[5DOM]

Denmark looked good in the first half, but Brazil leads

update: Wallace scores
update 2: This Ademelson guy's looking good