'We are out to finish the job'

IT WAS a day of rest and recuperation yesterday as we prepared for the challenge of Turkey later this afternoon.

No training, just a light jog before a swim in the sea, which was a lot colder than the first time we jumped in last Thursday. And with Big Fal blocking the exit steps we had no choice but to stay in the choppy cold water for the full 10 minutes.

In the afternoon we paid a visit to the plush hotel where most of our supporters are staying - needless to say it made ours look very ordinary in comparison, but where we are is probably perfect to ensure we stay completely focused on the football. Who needs a casino, an outdoor and indoor swimming pool complete with sauna and Jacuzzi, a cocktail bar, a mini golf course surrounded by beautiful delicate roses and a super-yacht marina right on their doorstep?

A training session this morning is when it's expected the starting team will be named.

Realistically, I think those of us in the squad know who six or seven of the starters will be, which means there's a lot of us, myself included, wondering if Tony Vance will go with ourselves or someone else.

But whatever he decides, we know we've got this far in the competition as a squad and that won't change come kick-off and the end of 90 minutes when substitutes are also likely to have played a key part in today's game.

It's also safe to say now (I think) that we definitely know what we need to go through - a scoring draw or better.

But, of course, we will be pushing for the win.

The last thing we want to do is to come this far and not complete the job we set out to achieve. Not only for ourselves but also for the 91 who have come with us from Guernsey, those back home who are closely following our progress and the staff from the English FA who have accompanied us and treated us like the full England national team with the endless supply of training and leisure wear, new match kit for every game, water, Lucozade, wine gums, Jaffa cakes, nutri-grain bars and much, much more, such as kit man Jim Conway's flash to the referee in the changing room before the Wales match. Not a pretty sight.

Anyway, if you're reading this at around 5pm in Guernsey I hope we've done you proud.football - uefa regions cup