Wee Hibees Place Third In International Tournament

A mixed-aged wee Hibees squad placed third in an international under-17 tournament earlier this month!

Head of Academy Coaching, Guillaume Beuzelin, took an Academy side – consisting of players from across the under-14, under-15, under-16 and under-18 age groups – to France to compete in the Tournoi International U17. 

The competition – hosted in Gonfreville-l’Orcher in Normandy, which is very close to Boozy's home city of Le Havre – included the likes of host club Entente Sportive Municipale de Gonfreville-l'Orcher (ESMGO), nearby team Le Havre AC and eventual winners Cadiz CF. 

Two wins from three in the first stage sent the boys into the finals, with wins over American outfit West Florida Flames and ESMGO either side of a defeat to USL Dunkerque enough to line up a semi-final meeting with US Quevilly-Rouen Metropole. 

A defeat in the final four set up a rematch against Dunkerque in the third-place play-off. Following a goalless draw, the wee Hibees secured victory in a penalty shoot-out to match our third-place finish in last year’s competition.

“We have done very well,” Boozy told hibernianfc.co.uk. “We played Dunkerque, the team who beat us in the group stage, in the play-off. In our first game against them, we were caught offside probably 15 times in 40 minutes. Our boys have never seen a team who play such a high line. 

"When we played them again the next day, we knew what to expect. The boys saw what kind of weapon we needed to use against a team that plays such a high line. They learned a lot from that experience."

Boozy points out that Dunkerque’s first-team – who finished fourth in French Ligue 2 and lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France Semi-Final this past season – play a very similar style of football. 

“Their first team put the most players offside across the whole of last season,” he added. “So it was a style through the club. That's why those types of tournaments are great.

“Unfortunately we didn't play against a Spanish team like Cadiz, now that's a proper Spanish team. They're excellent technically. But at least our boys saw that type of football as well. That is what it's all about.

“We followed in playing similar football. The different age groups don’t play together normally, but they play similar styles. Three at the back, two strikers, wing backs. We follow that consistency, also. 

“And the camp was fantastic. The players all got to bond together. And bond as a football team. That’s why these experiences are so great for the boys.”