WATFORD'S Academy are currently making their final preparations for their second successive visit to Northern Ireland's prestigious Milk Cup tournament.

The touring party will fly to Ireland on Sunday where the Hornets have entered two sides. The younger squad will take part in the Junior section for players who were born on or after 1st January 1993.

Watford will line up against Rosenborg on Monday July 28th and County Fermanagh on Tuesday 29th - other teams include Chelsea, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Everton and Guadalajara

Meanwhile the second squad will take part in the Premier section - for players born on or after 1st January 1991.

This squad will include many of the first year scholars as well as some of the players who were part of the winning English Schools' Cup side for The Harefield Academy.

The Hornets play Central Auckland on Monday 28th July and County Antrim the next day. Other teams in this age group include Manchester United, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin.

Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will this year open the tournament.

Nick Cox is the Assistant Academy manager for 12-16s and is looking forward to testing the Golden Boys against the top sides from around the world.

The youngsters have been preparing at UCL for the past week-and-a-half and Cox is particularly pleased about the shape of the students at The Harefield Academy who have benefited from their intense training schedule over the year.

He said: "We did a little bit of aerobic and endurance work last week, but because they've continued to train right the way through July at the school, apart from 10 days off, it's not as though we're starting from scratch to get them up to full fitness.

Nick Cox will be in Ireland with the youngsters

"So we're lucky from that point of view and they're in real good shape. This week we're working mainly on sharp, short speed work and agility work but the majority of what we do will be working on patterns of play, formations and team shape."

Due to the different age groupings for the competition, the Hornets are combining year groups to make up their squads, therefore they need to make sure the players have time to gel before they depart for the Milk Cup.

"Although the boys are technically and tactically aware they aren't used to playing with one another. Therefore we need to dedicate a lot of time this week getting the boys working as a unit.

"They have to understand their own roles within the 4-3-3 formation that we play. So overall there's lots of team shape work and we'll lower the intensity towards the end of the week."

The Milk Cup is one of the most demanding tournaments around and having so many games in a short space of time puts intense pressure on a squad, especially one so young.

"It is a very intense tournament," said Cox. "You play five games in five days and by the final day last year we were down to 10 fit players and another who just made it through, meaning we were just able to make up a team.

"We hope it will be different this year, because the lads have trained so much at Harefield that their bodies are stronger and better prepared, but it is very important to take a big squad."

Watford's European jaunts over the past year or so have taught the Academy staff a few things about the boys. Although technically very good, the youngsters faced new challenges when playing in tournaments as they're so different compared to their normal games back home in England.

"The boys are exposed to things in tournament that they don't face week in, week out normally.

"For example extra time, having to cope with being booked and playing on with that so you aren't suspended for the next game, penalty shoot outs, having to win games and not conceding a goal and going through on goal difference.

"We're hoping that we build on past experiences - and that they'll be a little bit more tuned in to tournament football and what that brings. River Plate, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund are there - it's probably one of the biggest youth tournaments, certainly in Europe if not the world."

Scouts from around the world will descend on Northern Ireland for the 26th Milk Cup tournament. It has a rich history and has seen some of the top players, including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs. 

The opening day sees a parade through the town of Coleraine in front of the thousands who turn out. It can be quite an overwhelming experience as Cox explains.

"There's a lot of history around the tournament because when it started Northern Ireland was in times of trouble.

"The tournament is a symbol of peace and the locals appreciate that and come out and celebrate - it's quite an experience for the lads, almost a bit over-whelming to see thousands of people lining the streets as they walk through the town. They end up at the Showground where the final is held."

As for the target this year, the Hornets have been set their challenges and know what is expected of them.

Cox added: "We set the boys a handful of challenges when we came back last week. You go to win tournaments and we're no different in that, but obviously wining the competition could come down to the width of a post so you need other markers to see how you're performing.

The first-ever intake at Harefield 2007/08

"Last year we came up against Guadalajara, the world champions, and they gave us a real lesson in football. So if we faced them again we could measure our performance but really it's about measuring ourselves against ourselves - do we achieve more this year? Then each boy has got an individual marker as to what they're trying to achieve."

Keep up to date with the Hornets in Northern Ireland here at www.watfordfc.com 

Squads for the Milk Cup:
 
Junior Squad (Junior section - players born on or after 1st January, 1993)
 
Jonathan Bond, Jack Bonham, Brandon Horner, Adam Fenwick, Matthew Bevans, Oli Archer, Jack Warburton, Charlie Kasler, Sean Murray, Patrick Drmola, Michael Kalu, Mani O'Sullivan, Oli Sprague, Trey Horne, Tommie Hoban, Nick Burtenshaw, Vjorn Sultana, Aaron Tumwa, Dom Ball, Bernard Mensah, Austin Eaton.  Standby: Luke O'Nien
 
Senior Squad - (Premier section - players born on or after 1st January, 1991)
 
Bo Antal, Jamie Irving, Lee Hodson, Eddie Oshodi, Faisal Hemati, Theo Angus, Cole Penny, Kurtney Brooks, Rob Kiernan, Fabrice Otshudi, Piero Mingoia, Matt Whichelow, Andy Yiadom, Marvin Sordell, Adam Thompson, Chez Isaac, Gavin Massey, Jake Rosier.