Preview | 2024 SuperCupNI
The annual SuperCupNI has arrived, and Argyle are represented again, with the Northern Ireland-based tournament starting on Monday, 22 July.
Argyle’s Under-13s squad are led by Dan Thompson in this season’s competition and have been drawn into a group alongside Northern Irish sides Coleraine and Crusaders, as well as IDA Bermuda. The results in the group stages will determine the latter part of the week for the Pilgrims.
It is an intense period of football, with Argyle’s young squad living in a residential setting and experiencing tournament football with decent-sized crowds, as the competition is always well supported by people in the local area.
Thompson, who is leading the trip for the first time, is excited for the opportunity and is ready for the challenges that may await them.
“I’m really excited,” Thompson told Argyle TV, “I’ve got experience from last summer, going as an assistant coach with an older age group. I got to see how well run the tournament was and how big it was.
“We had a great week away and got to the semi-final, but it is a different experience for me this year. I’m excited to lead the group, and I know the boys are excited too. We’ve done some good preparation. They’re looking forward to it.
“This will be the first time a couple of the boys have travelled abroad in an international competition. It will be a very different experience for them.
“They’re used to playing in tournaments, but not so much travelling. A couple of them haven’t flown before, so the whole experience for them will be very different.”
With the competition giving the young Pilgrims the chance to play international teams, Thompson is aware the unknown nature of these squads might surprise Argyle. However, the regular battles with Category 1 Academies in the country have the team in good stead and ready for many challenges.
“It will be harder for the boys playing against different opposition that are unknown,” he said, “but they’re used to playing big teams in England who are considered a high standard of opposition.
“From last season, I’ve recognised that the Irish teams might be quite direct, so we’ve done some preparation for that. It will be a different experience playing the unknown.”
The SuperCup has a long list of notable alumni. Michael Cooper, Adam Randell, and Head Coach Wayne Rooney all featured as youngsters in Northern Ireland, and there were also five players named in England and Spain’s Euro 2024 final squads who took to the pitch in the competition in their younger years.
Thompson knows of the superstars who have experienced playing in the tournament and is hopeful the understanding of those can come as a key motivator for the young Argyle squad.
“We told the boys to do a bit of research on the competition, so they realise how big of a tournament it actually is,” Thompson said, “and they’ve come back with some of the names that have played in it.
“I didn’t know there were four England players in the Euro squad that have, but I did know Sergio Busquets and some Spanish World Cup winners played in it. Marcus Rashford did as well.
"Some big names have featured in it, which is exciting for them, and hopefully we can come up against some future stars.”
SuperCupNI Fixtures
Monday, 22 July – IDA Bermuda, The Warren, 11am
Tuesday, 23 July – Crusaders, Parker Avenue, 11am
Wednesday, 24 July – Coleraine, Coleraine Showgrounds, 11am
