SELECT GROUP TO OVERSEE PREMIER CUP
PGMOL officials to keep a close eye on events as this year's tournament gets underway
Over the next few days the Select Group will be keeping a watchful eye over the youngsters hoping to represent the United Kingdom in this year’s Manchester United Premier Cup World Finals.
Qualifying for the prestigious tournament is now well underway across the globe and this week clubs from the Premier League and Football League have come together at Warwick University for the right to take one of the 20 places at the finals.
Officials from the Select Group will be overseeing fixtures having arranged one of their regular development meetings to coincide with the UK qualifiers.
“We have arranged our regular meeting for Wednesday and all of the referees will be there and all will be refereeing, apart from Phil Dowd and Mike Dean who are unavailable,” explained Keren Barratt, Select Group Referee Manager.
“It will be nice for the boys playing in the tournament to see them supporting it.
“Everyone will be doing something and the lads are putting something back into the game for the young players.
“They see them week-in week-out on the TV and if they have got a official who is usually in charge of a Premier League game refereeing their match it is a big thing for them.”
And the qualifiers are also a chance for younger match officials to take part and further their development.
“We have got a development group and the majority of Assistant Referees are coming from that and we also have a relationship with referees in Cornwall, and their Referee Development Officer asked if he could bring up some young referees from Level Four, Five and Six,” continued Barratt.
“They will be given three games each and will be running the line with a Select Group Referee, so it is a nice thing for them as well as aiding their development.”
The Manchester United Premier Cup gives players at Under-15 level around the world the chance to compete on an international stage.
This year’s World Finals will be held in Manchester with 20 teams competing in the group stage for the chance to progress to the quarter-final and semi-final stages.
Those matches are all held at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground before the overall final takes place at Old Trafford, where the surviving two teams will bid to become the Manchester United Premier Cup World Champions.
Matches are played across two 20-minute halves and will feature teams and players from around the world.
Sao Paulo are the current champions while previous winners have included Barcelona, Real Madrid, Porto and Manchester City.
Past players to be involved in the tournament and go on to major successes in the game include Fernando Torres, Robinho, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas.
