Sutton: Man Utd friendly is a tremendous test
Development squad boss John Sutton says Thursday’s friendly against Manchester United will be a tremendous test for his side but believes they can use the stage to shine against illustrious opponents.
Morton reserves host an Old Trafford XI bossed by Under-23s coach Ricky Sbragia as part of a training camp based in Scotland.
And former Tottenham Hotspur youth player Sutton reckons facing peers plying their trade at one of the world’s biggest clubs will be a valuable experience for a crop of Cappielow kids hoping to go far in the game.
He told media officer Jonathan Mitchell: “It’s brilliant and everyone is looking forward to it. When we originally got the news, I couldn’t believe it to begin with and I don’t think the boys could believe it.
“We’re in a higher league this year with the reserves, playing the likes of Celtic and Rangers, and that’s a huge test for us. Now, this is another one.
“You’re talking about some of the best young players in the world that we’ll be playing against, and as a coach you can’t ask for anything more.
“As much as it’s a tremendous test against a very good team, it’s about us bringing our best game and I expect the boys to go out and put on a good performance.
“Although we’d rather have had better results recently, I wouldn’t say I’ve been overly disappointed with the performances. In terms of the application and improvements I’ve seen I have no complaints whatsoever.
“We’re a very young team and the results at the start of the season were very good and a lot of the boys are sniffing about the first-team.
“All the boys have a dream to be a top player and they’re going to see the standards and how they measure up, and I have no doubt that boys in our changing room can measure up on Thursday.
“It doesn’t matter what badge is on the shirt, it’s about how good you are on the pitch. And I believe we have boys who can go on and have a really good career in the game.
“Thursday will be a great test for them and something they can learn from and use to hopefully help them keep getting better.”
Kick-off at Cappielow is 2pm and admission details can be found here.
Image: Alastair Reilly
