Tranmere Rovers academy boss Andy Parkinson is determined to keep his young players grounded ahead of Thursday night’s glittering FA Youth Cup clash with Everton.
Rovers were handed the plum trip after defeating Scunthorpe United 4-2 at Glanford Park last month.
Now they travel to Goodison Park dreaming of causing one of the competition’s more remarkable upsets against a local rival.
Everton v Tranmere Rovers
The FA Youth CupThird Round
7pm, Thursday 8 December 2016
Goodison Park
However, Parkinson has vowed to ensure the club approaches the tie like any other game, despite the high-profile draw and local links.
Parkinson has been a coach at Prenton Park for six years, and has held the joint position of head of coaching and youth team manager for the previous two.
“If you hype it up too much, it can have a negative effect,” said Parkinson.
“We’ll be doing as much preparations as it would be for a first-team game as we possibly can.”
Parkinson has tasted success in this competition before, winning it as a player with Liverpool in 1996.
The 37-year-old former attacking midfielder made 164 league appearances for Tranmere between 1997 and 2003, scoring 18 goals. He also enjoyed spells at Sheffield United and Notts County.
And he admitted Tranmere’s clash with the Toffees is not a fixture that requires extra motivational efforts from him or the rest of the coaching staff towards his young stars.
“The players don’t need motivating for this one,” he added. “The challenge is to keep them level headed.
“We need to approach it in the right frame of mind.
Goodison Park
“We have got 17 scholars in the ranks, the majority of whom are from Liverpool and some are Everton supporters. But it’s imperative we keep their feet on the ground as the staff, so they don’t get overawed by the occasion.”
Last year, Parkinson’s side experienced heartbreak in the first round, going out to Carlisle United after extra time.
Parkinson praised the efforts of his side, who have beaten Durham City, Altrincham Town, Doncaster Rovers and Scunthorpe in qualifying for the third round.
But Parkinson is under no illusion about the scale of the task ahead.
“We are under no illusion about the tie, it’s a very difficult one for us on paper, but this is why the youth cup is great,” he said.
“We have scored 17 goals in four games so we have done really, really well in this competition.”
FA Youth Cup history
Everton are three-time winners in 1965, 1984 and 1998. They were beaten by Aston Villa at this stage in last season’s competition.
Tranmere’a best run in the competition came in 1996-97 when they reached the last eight.
One to watch
Eddie Clarke is a 17-year-old left back who has just penned professional terms with the club, having been hovering around the first-team picture for a while.
Parkinson also has high hopes for young goalkeeper Patrick Wharton, who Parkinson says will be offered professional terms when he turns 17.
Did you know?
Everton’s 1998 FA Youth Cup winning side included future England internationals Francis Jeffers and Leon Osman, alongside future Ireland skipper Richard Dunne and club legend Tony Hibbert.
