Tardif calls on his big guns
CHRIS TARDIF said there was a ‘small balancing act’ but he has got the players he wanted in naming a 20-man squad for the Muratti Vase semi-final on Saturday week.
Although the same day the Green Lions are away at Carshalton Athletic, most of the elite players are with the new Muratti coach who plainly, and rightly, does not want to risk being remembered for losing in the northern isle, which almost happened to both Jersey in 2017 (2-1) and Guernsey in 2016 (1-0).
Of the GFC regulars, only young forward Charlton Gauvain and defenders Alex Le Prevost, Simon Geall and Harry Tobin are missing the trip to Alderney and there are potential first caps for a number.
Striker Paris Pereira, who scored for GFC against Sittingbourne, gets a chance, as do Stuart Roussel, Sam Murray, Danny Hale, Louis Graham, Luke Mollet and the Marsh brothers.
Four will be trimmed from the squad ahead of the game, which will likely be proceeded by a friendly with the Guernsey U21s this Sunday.
Tardif is adamant that the Muratti prospects came first.
‘I wouldn’t call it negotiations, but I’ve tried to he honest with all the coaches, both at Guernsey FC and the Priaulx clubs.
‘This is the squad I wanted to choose and Tony [Vance] was right behind me on this one.
‘I want to go up there and set up in such a way that if the flair players can’t deliver that we will be solid and strong and nick the game.
‘But in there we do have enough players to play good football.
‘It’s a different type of game and I’d imagine the squad would be different for Jersey if successful in Alderney.’
SQUAD
Jason Martin, Leroi Riley, Tom de la Mare, Jamie Dodd, Keanu Marsh, Sam Cochrane, Tom Strawbridge, River Marsh, Ben Coulter, Craig Young, Matt Loaring, Dave Rihoy, Paris Pereira, Dom Heaume, Sam Hall, Sam Murray, Louis Graham, Danny Hale, Luke Mollet and Stuart Roussel.
