Ogier a step closer to goal

JACQUES OGIER has been picked to attend a Southampton academy training camp. The Vale Rec and Elizabeth College 14-year-old right midfielder's selection comes on the back of two successful trial games with the Championship club's juniors.

'It's good stuff - I want to take my football as far as I can,' said Ogier.

In the first trial match at Southampton's Marchwood centre that saw triallists mixed together with academy players to form two teams, Ogier's side won 3-0. The Sarnian scored twice and had an assist in the other goal.

After his performance he was invited back for a second game. That match saw a team of triallists take on the academy.

'My first game was better than the second,' said Ogier.

'I played with the academy but the second one was harder because we were playing against the academy boys and I didn't see as much of the ball.'

And despite his team losing the second match quite considerably, Ogier was selected to join the academy on a week-long residential course at Winchester College at the end of the month.

If he impresses, then admission to the academy looks a distinct possibility.

'I think there's 25 boys: 20 are from the academy and five are triallists to see how we fare,' he said.

'To see if we've got anything better than they've got. I'm really keen on football and at the moment I'm trying to take it as far as I can.

'I'm taking it one step at a time.'

Ogier's father is the coach of the island senior side, Steve.

'He'll be living, breathing and working with the academy boys for that week,' said Ogier senior.

'From all those hundreds of boys trying down Hampshire way, for him to be selected is quite an achievement. I think he's done very well.'