CURRENT world champions Brazil could be the next giant footballing nation to grace football pitches in the Channel Islands.
The mighty Brazilians’ U23s could be playing in the Jersey and Guernsey Football Tournaments as early as next summer.
An official of the Brazilian Football Federation is in Guernsey this week assessing the tournament on behalf of Brazil U23 team manager Branco.
Tournament organiser Iain Mackenzie of Sporting Eventualities said: ‘The official is looking at the tournament so there is a possibility that Brazil may be included next season.
We tried to get them this year; maybe we will be a bit luckier in 12 months’ time.’ The inaugural Guernsey International Football Tournament kicks-off tonight with Japan - the World U21 champions - opposing Boco Juniors.
This fixture is repeated next Tuesday as the opener to the sixth Jersey Football Tournament, with Boca also defending their title against the top young players from Manchester United and Celtic.
The technical director of French Ligue 1 club Caen is also in Guernsey this week to watch the tournament.
Japan arrived in Guernsey on Saturday and they began preparations for the six-day tournament with two two-hour training sessions at Victoria Avenue.
Ahead of them lie six games in a fortnight - three in Guernsey and three in Jersey - a busy competitive schedule that Toshiro Takii, director of the Japanese Football Association, explained was all part of their grand plan to retain their world under-21 title.
Japan defend the trophy in Turkey next August.
The 18-strong squad for the back-to-back CI tournaments will simulate the six games in two weeks they face in Turkey next summer, explained Takii.
‘The two main objectives for us are for these new players to be exposed to international standards and also use it as preparation for next year’s tournament,’ Takii said.
‘There are some famous clubs taking part [in the Channel Islands] and here the players can see the high standard that is needed,’ Takii added.
Half the squad played together in the Japanese under-23 team that reached the semi-finals of a tournament in Qatar in January.
But only one, striker Kazuki Ahara, remains from the team that beat Italy in the final of the 2003 under-21 world cup.
‘All the players who won the world cup have now graduated from university and are now professionals,’ explained Royozo Enomoto, co-ordinator and interpreter for the JFA in Guernsey.
Japan will train twice daily on non-match days and have one session on the days they play Boca Juniors (today), Paris Saint-Germain (Thursday) and Glasgow Rangers (Sunday).
Rangers’ under-21 manager John Brown was negotiating with club boss Alex McLeish over the release of three first-team squad players used in their win over Fulham on Saturday.
Boca Juniors’ squad all joined up last night after seven were left in Rome early yesterday because their scheduled flight was overbooked.
The were booked on another flight to Heathrow and after getting across London to Gatwick they then flew on to Guernsey.
Paris St Germain travel without striker Veda Ibisevic.
The Bosnian only signed for the French club last Tuesday so there is no time to sort out a travel visa for him to play this week.
Mackenzie said: ‘It’s a great shame because Veda has had some rave reviews in the French press over the last few days.
He scored the winner for the first-team in a victory over Ajax and was player-of-the-match in a 1-0 defeat by Juventus just two days ago.
The Jersey tournament kicks-off next Tuesday with Japan and Boca Juniors at Springfield.
Tickets for all matches are on sale at Fort Regent, Springfield and Vowden Sports.
Grandstand is £8 with ground admission £5 for adults and £3 for senior citizens and children.
Article posted on 27th July, 2004 - 12.00am
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