HKFC Soccer Sevens

[NeoGeo7 10,496]

Squad for the Hong Kong soccer sevens have flown out:

Aidan McAdams, Andy Dallas, Scott Gray, Jack Thomson, Jamie Barjonas, Cammy Palmer, Jordan Houston, Stephen Kelly, Kyle Bradley, Liam Burt.

https://Rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/gers-jet-off-to-hong-kong/

A SELECT group from the Rangers Development Squad will fly to Hong Kong today to take part in the HKFC Soccer Sevens.

The youngsters kick-off their tournament in the group stages on Saturday, taking on Newcastle Jets, Newcastle United and Hong Kong Football Club. The knockout stages take place on Sunday.

The likes of Aston Villa, West Ham United and Italian side Cagliari are also taking part, along with the reigning champions Leicester City. While Premier League Brighton and Hove Albion are making their debut in the competition.

The Development Squad were knocked out by eventual winners Leicester at the semi-final stage last year. But after a successful first season playing in their Games Programme, Head of Academy Craig Mulholland is excited to see what his youngsters can do. The Gers were runners up in both 2009 and 2010.

Speaking to RangersTV ahead of the trip Mulholland said: “We have been the last few years now and first and foremost there is a huge Rangers fan base out in Hong Kong.

“People realise the size of the club and the number of supporters who come along to the Hong Kong football club to see us is great.

“The boys have had a great season and they are really looking forward to going out there. Culturally for them to go and see a different city like that is great for them but as a football experience the games are quite different as well.

“It is seven v seven, 18 yards to 18 yards and if you get a draw at the end of the game they take it down to four v four, 18 yards to 18 yards.

“In that heat and humidity it is really demanding for the players. It is against top opposition and it is a great experience for them.

“We were down playing Leicester a few weeks ago and they are taking their Under 23 group, as well as some fringe first-team players so it is really competitive.

“Last year we got to the semi-finals against Leicester and we were unlucky not to get through to the final.”

It will be Rangers first trip to the tournament since the implementation of the club’s Games Programme. This season they have faced sides from across Europe and the Premier League and Mulholland thinks that should mean this squad fare better.‘

We’ll post links to all the Development Squad’s games right here on Rangers.co.uk

He continued: “There are two aspects to this, one how much we have progressed against those sides we took on last year and we will look to get further and get to the final.

“And two, there has been a real change this year with the Games Programme so when we played foreign opposition before and English Premier League opposition you could see there was a little bit of an inferiority complex from the Scottish lads.

“I think by playing so many times this year against top teams from different countries we have overcome that.

“An example would be that we are really disappointed to lose 3-2 to Manchester United and of course people are saying it is good we have got to that because losing by the odd goal to Manchester United is something we don’t expect.

“I think the results against the likes of Manchester City, Feyenoord, Leicester City, AK Athens and Bayern Munich has taken away any inhibitions the boys have in terms of playing quality opposition.”

Best of luck to them, hopefully it’s on YouTube again to see how they get on 

[Dazzler 2,428]

Title makes me want fried chicken for some reason. 

[watpnosurrender 274]

Rangers first game in this competition is around 3 am playing Newcastle jets

[Escobar 13,676]

Looking for a spare for this.

[davis1986 996]

3 minutes ago, fanaticCR said:

Looking for a spare for this.

Brilliant 

[watpnosurrender 274]

stream for anybody that wants to watch Rangers kick off in about an hour

[K.A.I 36,183]

4 minutes ago, watpnosurrender said:

stream for anybody that wants to watch Rangers kick off in about an hour

Thanks for that - I’m on a nightshift that will pass the time 

[Jamie0202 12,261]

Can somebody quote this post or give me a wee @ mention when we're on please?

[watpnosurrender 274]

1-0 Rangers goalscorer Andrew dallas

[watpnosurrender 274]

11 minutes ago, Jamie0202 said:

Can somebody quote this post or give me a wee @ mention when we're on please?

its on now mate

[Jamie0202 12,261]

2nd goal. Class build up and finish.

[watpnosurrender 274]

Rangers next game in an hour against hong kong

[K.A.I 36,183]

Just watched the second half of that Rangers Newcastle game there we were getting heavily booed because we were just passing the ball to each other and took a corner that went directly straight back to the goalkeeper 

I’m assuming we only needed a draw and because of climate no point going mad? Only think I can think of watching that, was very strange 

[watpnosurrender 274]

4 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

Just watched the second half of that Rangers Newcastle game there we were getting heavily booed because we were just passing the ball to each other and took a corner that went directly straight back to the goalkeeper 

I’m assuming we only needed a draw and because of climate no point going mad? Only think I can think of watching that, was very strange 

no mate we were already through won the previous 2 matches Newcastle were the ones needing a point

[K.A.I 36,183]

Just now, watpnosurrender said:

no mate we were already through won the previous 2 matches Newcastle were the ones needing a point

Cool mate so it was just a nothing game anyway and energy saver?

whens the next game on? Is it a semi or something?

[watpnosurrender 274]

Just now, K.A.I said:

Cool mate so it was just a nothing game anyway and energy saver?

whens the next game on? Is it a semi or something?

Quarter-Final tomorrow  who we play hasn't been announced yet I dont think

[K.A.I 36,183]

4 minutes ago, watpnosurrender said:

Quarter-Final tomorrow  who we play hasn't been announced yet I dont think

Cool cheers - same time I take it?

[watpnosurrender 274]

1 minute ago, K.A.I said:

Cool cheers - same time I take it?

I think so mate but not a hundred percent a think we wont find out for sure untill the rest of the groups have played which will be a view hours yet

[K.A.I 36,183]

2 minutes ago, watpnosurrender said:

I think so mate but not a hundred percent a think we wont find out for sure untill the rest of the groups have played which will be a view hours yet

Ok can you make a wee post on here when you find out? I’m night shift again tonight and would be good to see it 

If we are in this again next summer I’m defo gonna book it I think - checked flights there for next year around this time and they are at £500 with British Airways which too bad 

[watpnosurrender 274]

1 minute ago, K.A.I said:

Ok can you make a wee post on here when you find out? I’m night shift again tonight and would be good to see it 

If we are in this again next summer I’m defo gonna book it I think - checked flights there for next year around this time and they are at £500 with British Airways which too bad 

no probs 

[RDB14 2,760]

47 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

Just watched the second half of that Rangers Newcastle game there we were getting heavily booed because we were just passing the ball to each other and took a corner that went directly straight back to the goalkeeper 

I’m assuming we only needed a draw and because of climate no point going mad? Only think I can think of watching that, was very strange 

I made a thread first but I will use this one ?

To answer the quote - Newcastle needed to avoid losing by 3 goals to go through.  We were through and top unless we lost.  Barjonas was losing the rag a bit cause players wouldnt move forward.  It was actually a small selection of Newcastle fans booing, a few of them were shouting because Newcastle were literally just sitting back and their coach kept telling them not to concede and they were through.

Callum O'Hare of Villa is lighting the game's he's involved in up as he did last year.  The lad looks absolutely class.

[K.A.I 36,183]

Just now, RDB14 said:

I made a thread first but I will use this one ?

To answer the quote - Newcastle needed to avoid losing by 3 goals to go through.  We were through and top unless we lost.  Barjonas was losing the rag a bit cause players wouldnt move forward.  It was actually a small selection of Newcastle fans booing, a few of them were shouting because Newcastle were literally just sitting back and their coach kept telling them not to concede and they were through.

Callum O'Hare of Villa is lighting the game's he's involved in up as he did last year.  The lad looks absolutely class.

The ones shouting and boo’ing were total wanks - might not have been a good game but both going through ffs 

some people 

[RDB14 2,760]

1 minute ago, K.A.I said:

The ones shouting and boo’ing were total wanks - might not have been a good game but both going through ffs 

some people 

Agree.  Craig Mulholland was just telling Rangers to keep the ball and Barjonas mentioned he felt we went for it too much last year and were out on our feet later.  It is absolutely scorching here today too, 34 degrees with 80% humidity, hottest day for the last couple weeks.

Our team look much better this year than last and the difference in Barjonas is amazing.  He was very poor last year but seems to have much more composure and is dictating games this year.  Burt looking good too.

[K.A.I 36,183]

Just now, RDB14 said:

Agree.  Craig Mulholland was just telling Rangers to keep the ball and Barjonas mentioned he felt we went for it too much last year and were out on our feet later.  It is absolutely scorching here today too, 34 degrees with 80% humidity, hottest day for the last couple weeks.

Our team look much better this year than last and the difference in Barjonas is amazing.  He was very poor last year but seems to have much more composure and is dictating games this year.  Burt looking good too.

Good to hear - I know it’s too early to tell but you think we will be invited back next year? Is it a regular thing?

whats it like inside the venue can you get a beer and stuff?

[RDB14 2,760]

8 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

Good to hear - I know it’s too early to tell but you think we will be invited back next year? Is it a regular thing?

whats it like inside the venue can you get a beer and stuff?

I think we will always be welcome.  Its more if we choose to attend and I believe we were one of the last teams to accept this year and left it quite last minute.  We always do well and I see more Rangers shirts than any other club.. Villa a close second.  It's amazing how far our reach is, the Newcastle Jets manager today was a Rangers fan from Scotland! We always have a few players in the Masters too and a Rangers masters won it before (it's not easy, plenty of ex Premium players. The team with Wes Brown, David James, Michael Brown and Lee Hendrie went out in groups today.)

Inside is decent.  It's just so bloody hot!  You can get a beer or jugs of beer, hot dogs, bacon rolls, burgers, pizza etc.  If you can find someone who is a member of the HKFC (hosts) you can get a decent fry up etc beforehand too. But I prefer being down on the pitch.  Also there's activities and games and stuff for kids to do on an adjacent pitch if there is family in tow - bouncy castle, football challenges (beat the goalie, some of those modern training  machines where boards light up for you to pass to etc).  It's definitely a Much Smaller event than the Rugby Sevens which is just a huge party but rugby is shite.

If there's any players etc you want to speak to it's easy as they just wander around. David James was sitting 2 seats along from me for a while today and the Rangers lads were sitting in the food area.

If you want to know anything specific or want any photos etc tomorrow just let me know as I will be back again for the knockouts.