Black wants his Fermanagh side to make memories at Super Cup

Among their successes was the county’s first-ever victory in the Tyrone-based George Henderson MBE Tournament, and Black is hoping they take that winning mentality into the Super Cup tournament.

“The preparations have gone well,” he acknowledged.

“Since the trial process, the boys have been really professional about it and really eager to improve and improve each other. The group has come together really tight. They have shown a lot of resilience since the first tournament, and they have come through the last few friendlies well because they have been tough.

"We have had some tough games, but we haven’t been blown away by anyone. They have been close.

"We have been playing our own style of play. We are playing our way, no matter who we are playing against. It's good. I wouldn’t say they are over-confident, but they know they have a good side.”

Fermanagh have defeated Tyrone twice and also drawn with Armagh and Down, with Antrim the only county side to get the better of them in the pre-tournament fixtures.

“Antrim are a big physical side. We have played some physical sides since that and if we were coming against Antrim again we might give them a much closer game,” reckoned Black.

“Tyrone have given us two good games that have been tight enough, and we would like to play Down again if we got the opportunity. We conceded a last-minute own goal to them, but I think we had a good game against them. It is good coming into the tournament knowing that there are sides you can have a good go at having already played them.”

All smiles at Fermanagh Super Cup Juniors training. (Image: John McVitty)

Black believes that the versatility and strength-in-depth of his squad could be the key factor for a successful tournament.

“It’s a good team that we have built together,” he said.

“We have rotated a lot, and boys have slotted in. A great strength is the versatility of some of the players. In tournament football, you never know what is going to happen, but we have a lot of players that can fit in a variety of positions and I think that is a strength.”

As with the Fermanagh Premier squad, the glamour fixture of the group stages for the Junior squad comes on day one, when they take on Rangers FC.

The original schedule had pitched them against the Bahrain National team on day two, but following their withdrawal it is now St. Patrick's Athletic in the second game with FC America completing their group fixtures.

“Both teams have a big Monday and there are positives and negatives for that,” reckoned Black.

“You could give all on day one and have it take a lot out of us for the rest of the week. Our second day has changed to St. Pat's. We played a Sligo Rovers team, and then St. Pats played them and beat them 7-0, so it gives us a bit more information about what might be coming and that might change some final preparations compared to a completely unknown Bahrain team.

"We played three fixtures in three days last week and the boys and all of us realised that it was the mental fatigue a bit more than the physical fatigue that got them. The head wasn’t coming along with the feet, but the America team we are playing on the third day will also have played three games.

"That week has taught us a lot. We have been playing our own game and our own style and hopefully, they will have to adapt to us.”

The Super Cup experience will be new for the majority of the squad, with only two members of the playing squad having competed in the tournament last year, but Black is hoping their lack of experience means they can approach the occasion with no fear.

“If you look at the Euros, Yamal [Lamia] at 16 has come in and has not been scared of anything,” he said.

“He just has an eagerness to go and play. That is what we need to have, and then they can go and use whatever experience they get for next year if they are going for the Premiers or our couple of guys who are a year young. Maybe a bit of naivety to just go out and play and not think about what is going to happen could give us something.”

The manager has not given his team any targets to achieve for the tournament, aside from maximising their memories from what promises to be an unforgettable week.

“The main message is to enjoy the whole experience,” he said.

“Our main goal is to do ourselves proud. We have worked hard and if we can get any reward at all up there, to give them back something for all the hard work they have put in, then that would be brilliant.

"I hope there is at least one occasion throughout the week that they can look back on and say ‘we deserved that’.

"And we have to enjoy it. The Super Cup have been talking to professional footballers for months now about playing the Milk Cup over the years, and for our boys to experience that as well and say ‘yes, it was excellent and it has lived up to all the hype’ would be great.

"They could come off the pitch after an excellent performance and still feel they have let themselves down, but we know they will have given their all. I just hope they have one moment across the week that they can take home with them.

"The whole team will be taking each result away but if they can have their own individual goals and push for it, then the team that we have and how close they are, we will all benefit, and we will all enjoy the full week.”

Black had to make a late change to his squad after goalkeeper Ethan Boyle suffered a broken and dislocated finger and has to undergo surgery. He has been replaced by Shea McManus from Irvinestown Wanderers.