Academy Manager Steve Holland will not be underestimating the challenge his side face at Cambridge United in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday evening.
The Alex make their way to the Abbey Stadium to face a U's side which have already won five times in the competition this season, having begun their campaign way back in September in a First Qualifying Round clash away at Newmarket Town. The Conference side have been drawn at home in every game since then and knocked Tranmere Rovers out of the competition in the last round, leaving Holland in no doubt as to the challenge his youngsters face.
"I went to watch them play Tranmere in the last round and they fully deserved their win," Holland told Crewe Alexandra's internet TV station Crewe Alex World
"We may be an Academy whilst Cambridge are a non-league side, but then people said, with all their huge resources, that Manchester United should have beaten Southend in the Carling Cup this season and look what happened there.
"Football in general is very unpredictable, but youth football is even more so and as such we will prepare for the game properly. I remember that in the year we went to the Semi-Final we had a very difficult game on what was basically a paddy field at Cirencester Town and yet in the next game we were travelling to the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland. That is something we will talk about and use in our preparation for the game."
The Alex have enjoyed some impressive success in the FA Youth Cup over the past few years, that trip to the Semi Final being a notable triumph for Holland and his youngsters, but whilst Steve is determined to achieve more success in the competition, he also recognises his job at Crewe Alexandra runs far deeper.
"It's not like the regular Academy games we play week in and week out, which we see as development games. These games are quite different and we do some preparation on our opponents. It's the nearest thing the players have to proper first team football and the more games we can play in the competition the better for the boys.
"But I am not judged on the results we achieve in the Youth Cup. Dario (Gradi) doesn't want an FA Youth Cup in his trophy cabinet but no players coming through the Academy that are of any use to his first team. But having said that the Under-18's are the top tier team of the Academy so it's nice for them to do well."
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