Peterborough United Under 18s make the trip to Norwich City on Tuesday (12pm), a penultimate pre-season run out for Jimmy Unwin’s side.
Posh Under 18s are set to face the Canaries on Tuesday, a double header for the Academy following the Under 21s recent defeat in East Anglia.
Unwin plans to offer playing time to a mixture of 18-year-olds, as well as a few younger players as his side prepare themselves for a first encounter devoid from a mix of Under 21s. A trip to Huntingdon awaits on Sunday afternoon (1:30pm) to conclude the pre-season programme.
TUESDAY’S OPPONENTS
Norwich City Under 18s, led by Greg Crane, secured an 11th placed finish in the Under 18s Premier League, Southern Division last season; only Aston Villa Under 18s and Reading Under 18s finished the season in lower standings.
The Canaries have been subjected to a summer overhaul as they look to bolster their ranks with ten new arrivals, including several fresh additions who have made the step up from junior categories.
FROM THE GAFFER
Jimmy Unwin elucidated the positives his side has shown, but says the effort must continue: “I’m really pleased with some of the cohesion and teamwork we’ve shown in spells, but more so the fitness levels we’ve showed – some of the boys have played lots of minutes in pre-season, and we aim to get two more 90 minutes in their legs before the season starts but we’re well on track to do that.
“It’s brilliant that the First Team call up Under 18s and 21s, and the knock-on effect is that we’re down the period and we get the short fall, but 90% of the youth team played against Norwich Under 21s; they would’ve learned loads from that regardless of the scoreline and they were tested massively outside of their comfort zone against players that have 30 league appearances to their name – they came out with, what I thought, was flying colours from what I saw so it’s about patching them up to go again because a lot of them will be in action again tomorrow.”
The Gaffer has laid out his pre-season expectations as he nears his first full season in charge as Under 18s Head Coach: “I’m looking forward to it massively [Canaries test]. I’m looking for us to hopefully dominate the ball and own the ball, like we’ve tried to do, whereas for the boys on Saturday it was a different game for them because they were playing against a lot of experience and some really good players at Norwich. If we can do that [play our style of football], then it’s a win for me in pre-season.”
Unwin went on to discuss the squad’s cohesion ahead of the upcoming campaign: “The first years have settled in really well, the RAF Wittering camp (available on Posh+) helped us to forge relationships, and the boys have done really well - you’ve seen in the First Team, they’ve equipped themselves really well, so I’m pleased with where they’re at as a group.
“They have raised the standards when they have come in, and we’ve got to keep raising them daily so that we’re all very disciplined, but we also have high standards for each other.”
The fixture will take place at the Lotus Training Centre, Norwich.