Ockleford backs his good trainers

GUERNSEY hope to a launch a run in the FA County Youth Cup this weekend. Paul Ockleford's under-18s travel to Middlesex for a first round clash on tomorrow. The winners will play Berks and Bucks in the second round.

The coach said that his squad may lack some of the big names of under-18s in recent years, but they have impressed at recent training sessions.

'If we can get nicely organised we can give it a good go,' he said.

Ockleford singled out the key players forming the spine of his side - goalkeeper Ashley Williams, Matt Le Prevost (both Sylvans), and Miles Pengelley and Matt Loaring from North.

The two sides met in the competition in Guernsey in November 2004, when Guernsey won 2-0.

Domestically, and frustratingly for fans, three senior games vie for their attention today.

The pick of the matches is the Deloitte Jeremie Cup quarter-final between North and Scottish at Northfield.

At Blanche Pierre Lane, St Martin's host Portuguese Club in the last eight of the Collins Cup, while in Sure Mobile Priaulx League, Bels return to the Corbet Field where they defeated Vale Rec 2-0.

Meanwhile, Guernsey assistant manager Tony Vance has put his weight behind plans for a 16-team CI club league.

Local football is stale and needs to move with the times, he said.

And, he added, if Jersey does not play ball with the formation of a Channel Islands league, Guernsey must not stand still and must look at the whole structure and devise something different to the current arrangements.

He is pleased that the powers that be in both islands are pushing ahead with the idea.

'It's a long time coming and it's imperative Guernsey football moves forward at last,' he said.

'The game has gone very stale.'

'Society has changed and there are other opportunities for people. There is more choice for players now and the leagues are not as competitive as they could have been. They need to move with the times and the Channel Islands League is a natural progression. It's a shame it probably was not done a long time ago because we would not be in the scenario we are now,' said Vance.

'I'm all for it and I just hope it goes through.'

'The pros are they are going to have a product which will be something that sponsors would be interested in and it gives opportunities for players to play against better players regularly,' he believes.

Another advantage he envisages is providing more excitement for players, coaches, fans and referees.

'It's variation and should improve the quality because I think it's gone down in both islands,' said Vance.

He insists though that the CI's best players are still very good.

'It's got to be one step at a time but the ultimate would be the island team competing as a club in the UK or Europe wherever they can

Vance is unsure how an island development side could fit into a CI league structure and questions where the players would come from.

One idea he would like to be considered is the possible inclusion of Alderney in the mix.

He admits significant sponsorship will be required for the dreams to become reality - that could prove to be the biggest stumbling block.

'The important thing is for football to move ahead. If Jersey does not play ball this time we can't stand still and have to look at the whole structure and come up with something different. Other sports are moving in the right direction and we have too as well. Fair play to the GFA for moving it forward,' he said.

Vance floated an idea about five years ago for a CI Champions League but did not push it seriously.

It could have meant the top four clubs in both Guernsey and Jersey and Aurigny Nomads playing in the Champions League and the bottom four Sarnian and Caesarean clubs battling it out in the equivalent of the Uefa Cup each season.

Independent leagues in both islands would have continued.

Guernsey captain Matt Warren said: 'We do play each other four times and it gets stale and you need fresh opposition. It would be better for us as players and better for both groups of players in Guernsey and Jersey.'

He believes it will be a good idea combining the leagues in both islands and he would also like Guernsey to consider maybe playing in an English league regularly in future.

'I'm quite jealous of the Guernsey Rugby Club who get to go away and play against different opposition week in, week out and that would be ideal for us,' he said.

One of the island's top referees, Brent Blondel, agrees with the CI moves.

'It's an absolutely fantastic idea,' he said.

'It will be good for football generally and it will help us retain the players. It will add spice and give every club a lift, but it will all come down to finances.'

'The game would not have had the problems it has now if it had happened 10 years ago,' he claimed.

'All referees look forward to doing inter-insular games. You will have to apply refereeing sense and they will be more geared up for games, although I'm not saying they are not already. When you are refereeing new teams you will have to get really focused,' he said.

'I will look forward to it, especially if we can go over there and do some games. It will really test your mettle.'

But he does not agree with one of the ideas.

'I think an U-21 league is a non-starter for me. All the U-21s are playing Priaulx already. You have to have a reserve league but not U-21s and I can't see it working,' said Blondel.

Guernsey College of Further Education lecturer in sport Mike Reed also backed the idea.

'It's going to improve the quality and standard and there should be enough finances in the Channel Islands to fund it,' he said.