Our under-15s are packing their bags and heading east next month for the nine-day Next Gen Beijing Cup in China.
A 21-man squad will jet out to the Chinese capital on April 3 for the competition, joining fellow Premier League sides Wolves and Aston Villa, as well as four Chinese outfits and the Hong Kong China U16 Elite Selection Team.
The trip represents a huge opportunity for our young gunners and under-15s lead, Craig Smith, cannot wait to see his side put to the test against sides from the far east.
“The players are buzzing about it,” he said. “Most of us have never been to China before, so that’s a really good experience to be able to give these players, and then, on top of that, competitive football in some great stadiums we’re going to be playing in.
“They’re all really excited to do it. The whole premise of why we do these sorts of tours is to start building up players to understand what it’s like when they get to the top level or a first team level to be able to go away for an extended period of time and be able to perform.
“The first thing they’re going to have to deal with is the jet lag when they get there, the different culture, and much more. It’s going to be full on; these are full-length matches happening every few days, so recovery is key.
“One of our key taglines is adapt and perform, so that’s going to be huge for the boys in those games where we might be used to press in a certain way, but all of a sudden we’re against a shape that, we haven’t played before and they’ve got to adapt and change how we play without the ball or play and change our formation or our tactics that we use. So the whole adaptation side of it, I think, is really good.
“I like the competitive nature of the tournaments that we go into, and then on top of that, you end up being a lot more together at the end of tours because you’ve spent so much time together. You might have had some highs, you might have had some lows, but you see the whole group come together a little bit more by the end of it.”
Craig will be accompanied by his coaching staff as well our Academy Manager, Per Mertesacker, something which the under-15s lead believes can prove invaluable to his players.
He said: “I feel really fortunate to be leading the tour that’s going to be Per’s last at the club. Per brings such a wealth of knowledge and he’s so well respected within the academy thatt anytime he’s around the boys, you can hear a pin drop when he talks.
“They really hang on to everything he said because he’s been there and done that, and the standards he sets around what he expects from a strong young gunner. he makes sure that. The boys are on it and he doesn’t really have to do a lot to make sure they’re on it, to be honest.
“It’s going to be great having him on tour. I’m definitely going to delve into his knowledge and his playing background and any little lessons that we can take from him, take advantage of him being around the boys.
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“Per’s brilliant at getting involved. He’ll be in the training sessions. He’ll do everything from the warm-up to the games at the end, and he sets the example on the pitch. So, it’s going to be great for the boys whilst we’re out there.”
Outside of playing football, the players will also be taking in the culture that Beijing and China has to offer.
From learning table tennis to visiting the Great Wall of China, Smith knows this trip to bring his players together and help them on their journey into professional football.
“One of our pillars is lifelong learner, and with that is like stuff that you’re doing outside of football, broadening your horizons, experiencing different cultures.
“We’ve got a few little cultural excursions booked up. So one’s the Great Wall of China, and one’s a Kung Fu lesson at the Summer Palace. I think they’re doing a ping-pong lesson out there as well. So it’s an amazing opportunity to embrace the culture and bond as a team.
“I think these tournaments and events abroad bring players together and create memories that will last forever.”
Fixtures
Monday, April 6
Arsenal v Shijiazhuang Kung Fu Football Club
National Olympic Sports Centre Training Field | 3pm (8am BST)
Tuesday, April 7
Arsenal v Aston Villa
National Olympic Sports Centre Training Field | 3pm (8am BST)
Thursday, April 9
Arsenal v Beijing FA Selection Team
National Olympics Sports Centre Stadium | 10am (3am BST)
Saturday, April 11
Finals day
National Olympic Sports Centre Stadium | TBC
Provisional squad heading to Beijing
Charlie Phillips, Max Lo Presti, Zach Van Der Straaten, Frankie Wyatt, Hudson Sando, Onye Asiegbu, Isaiah Matthews, Beau Luton, Keyaan Davison, Fletcher McBryde, Michael Bonaventura Yetna, Noah Laditan, Blake Day King, Emmanuel Ahaneku, Reiss Twenboa Kudoa, Jaden Maghoma, Kyron Raymond-Callender, Luis Munoz, Bubacarr Jallow, Leo Aliadiere, Ezra Okafor
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