The Amigos’ Under 10 Benjamine team.

Cup adventure ends

PROUD YOUNG footballers tasted Costa Blanca Cup glory before being knocked out by stronger teams heading for the finals.
The under 12 ‘Alevine’ and under 10 ‘Benjamine’ sides of FC Amigos de Javea both qualified through group stages of this international competition before going down fighting against bigger club and academy opposition.

More than 250 teams from around the world compete in the annual festival of football and the Amigos youngsters are keen to be back next year.
Terry Denty, one of the coaches, told RTN the under 12 team lost 6-0 to the eventual runners up from Guadalajara after qualifying from a “group of death” – containing sides from Madrid, Russia and Venezuela.

And he said the under 10 team played four games in 36 hours to reach the semi-final only to lose 4-1 to eventual winners UD Canals – finishing with just seven players from an 11 strong squad and eliminating two of the favourites from Madrid and Valencia.
“Considering we are a Sunday league team from a small community unaffiliated to any Spanish FA or academy side, both teams punched well above their weight,” said Terry.

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“Both the teams went to the competition with small squads of 11 players – all the academy teams we were playing had squads of 20 plus players - and after injuries, fatigue, and the affects of playing in the high temperatures, it would be fair to say we were all exhausted.”
He added: “The standard of our boys and the quality of coaching was outstanding and along with the support and passion of our small army of supporters with their vuvuzelas and horns, I’m sure next year we will give it another go.”

Terry said all the coaches were unpaid volunteers and the club depended on parents paying subs, the support of local businesses – such as Webster Asesores and BusyBee Car Servicing – and contributions from the Amigos veterans for financial support.
And he said it would be impossible but for the hard work of founders Andy and Sylvie Barnish and the dedicated coaches developing boys – most of the Cup youngsters had been with the club more than five years – into the “great players we have just seen competing at the highest standard.”
Terry added: “An example of this was Jordan Knight, an ex-Amigo, who has just lifted the under 16s Costa Blanca Cup with his current team Benidorm.”