Peacock expects 'interesting' game
By James Marshall in Torreon
Friday, 24 June, 2011
Head Coach looking forward to his side's game with Uruguay.
England U17 Head Coach John Peacock spoke in his pre-match press conference yesterday in Torreon, Mexico as his side prepare to face group leaders Uruguay on Saturday.
The Young Lions know that should they avoid defeat in this game , they will qualify for the latter stages of the World Cup, but a win will see them top their group and overtake the Uruguayans, who are already qualified after two wins from two so far.
“I think it will be a very good game and also a very close game," said Peacock. "Obviously, like Uruguay, we will try and win the game to finish top of the group.
"We are looking forward to playing Uruguay, they are a great country in terms of football tradition like England, so it will make for an interesting game.”
The squad travelled across Mexico from Pachuca to Torreon on Thursday, just hours after their 2-2 draw with Canada and conditions will be different at their new base with the heat expected to be around 40 degrees when England kick-off on Saturday afternoon.
Whilst this isn't ideal for either team, this is the reason the squad spent over a week preparing at a training camp in Mexico City and Peacock acknowledged that it will be difficult but also feels his side have adapted very well to the heat so far.
“Playing at high altitude in hot temperatures in the afternoon is always difficult for any team," he added. "We trained for the first time today in Torreon, and as far as I’m concerned the heat wasn’t a major problem.
"The players have acclimatised very well to the conditions, our first game against Rwanda was played in a warm temperature and we coped with that well.”
Peacock also added that he is happy with the team’s new surroundings despite the upheaval of moving north from Pachuca: "We are delighted to be here in Torreon, everything is fine. The hotel, the training ground and the stadium are magnificent and we are looking forward to the game tomorrow."
If England do beat Uruguay and top the group, this means they will play their Second Round match back in Pachuca, which Peacock suggested would benefit his young side.
“I think going back to Pachuca in terms of the climate and the familiarity of the surroundings will be quite important for the players," he explained.
"But we have to beat Uruguay first for that to happen and they will no doubt prove to be a difficult challenge.”