Scott McGarvey insists Manchester Maccabi 1st have nothing to lose ahead of their County Cup final showdown against Waterloo.
Adam Stevens and Oli Grant were their semi-final heroes and McGarvey is confident his players can hold their nerve following their best run in the competition.
"To reach County Cup final is a great achievement for the club,” said McGarvery, a former striker with Manchester United and Scotland who now manages the Maccabi team.
"Waterloo start as favourites as they played in a higher league, but the boys have been working hard in training and are ready.
"Overall the club is in very good health. We have a fantastic set-up – some of the boys don’t know how lucky they are.
Maccabi remain on course for the double – they have games on hand in their rivals ahead of the Accountants League Premier Division run-in.
McGarvey said: “They’ve bought into the fact that they have to be fit and that has been reflected in our performances this season. You can have all the ability in the world but if you’re not fit then you’re wasting your talent.
"We’ve been training twice a week – every session working with the ball – and the spirit in the camp is excellent."
A veteran of more than 400 professional matches in England, France, Cyprus and Japan, McGarvery has been associated with the Brooklands club for six years.
He said: “I’ve seen lots of Jewish boys who could give it a go at a higher level. Louie Basso has been one of the top midfielders for us this season and it’s a massive blow that he won’t be involved in the final or our remaining league games due to travel commitments.
"Training has been sharp and everyone is upbeat. I hope the players respond and carry on doing what they’ve been doing for the last 18 months.”
Striker Oli Grant has registered six goals in their cup run including a hat-trick in the 6-1 fourth-round win over Cheers FC. Sam Hatton, 18, has established himself as an “important player” while Mark Bell has been a “commanding figure” in his debut season.
"My favourite saying no matter how bad you’re playing, you can never have a bad game for the team. That’s all I can ask for. I’ll tell the players to work their socks off, track back and to go and put their names in lights.
"The boys have been different class this season. They all know how big Sunday is and hopefully they’ll relax on the day and go about their business."
ONES TO WATCH:
Sam Hatton: his quick rise to prominence was never in doubt. A Maccabi gold medallist and a player with immense quality, Hatton has established himself as a key player for Maccabi despite only being 18. Pace and power make Hatton a real outlet. A few extra sessions on his finishing and Hatton would be the compete player.
Sam Van-Gelder: Maccabi’s very own cockney, SVG really has become part of the furniture at the club. With the ability to pick a pass anywhere on the park Svg really does adds a bit of flair to the Maccabi attack (not only with his varied colour of boots). Could SVG hold the key to unlock the oppositions defence? With a different pair of boots for every occasion hopefully.
Mark Bell: The former Team GB Maccabiah captain really has found his home away from home in what is his debut season in the yellow and blue. A real commanding figure at the back and along with centre back partner Adam Jackson really organises the back four well. The last time Bell played in a cup final involving Maccabi he was on the losing side (Flixton). Lets hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
Team news: Maccabi will have a full compliment of players to choose from. Gellman and Foster return from university whilst Alex Lee will also be available for selection. Ashley Loofe will face a late fitness test. The biggest loss for Maccabi will be midfield general Louie Basso and target man Max Rose who are both off travelling South East Asia.
ROUTE TO THE FINAL
Semi- final: Manchester Maccabi 2-1 Vulcan FC Goals: Adam Stevens, Oli Grant
Quarter-final: Levenshulme Athletic 0-1 Manchester Maccabi Goals: Sam Van-Gelder
Round 5: Manchester Maccabi 1-0 Snipe Inn Goals: Oli Grant
Round 4: Cheers FC 1-6 Manchester Maccabi Goals: Sam Van-Gelder, Louie Basso, Marc Maynard, Oli Grant x3
Round 3: Old Ball 0-0 Manchester Maccabi (Maccabi win 4-2 on pens)
Round 2: Northern Quarter FC 2-3 Manchester Maccabi Goals: Oli Grant, Adam Stevens x2
Round 1: Bye
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