James Collins is expecting Sparta Prague to pose a different sort of challenge as Wolves under-21s return to Molineux on Friday evening.
The youngsters take on the side from the Czech Republic in their second Premier League International Cup group stage fixture, looking to make it two wins from two in the competition. Last time out, the Old Gold defeated PSV under the Molineux lights and head coach Collins is looking forward to another game at the Golden Palace.
On playing at Molineux again
“The more games we can have at Molineux, the better opportunity our lads have to get used to it. If their moment ever does come for the first-team, they get a chance to play under the lights, with an atmosphere and with a crowd in a high-pressure game. That’s the environment we want to create for them.
“Every game has its own individual merits. If you lose your first game in the group then it’s a long way to qualify.
“At least if you win your first game of the group you give yourselves a fighting chance. We’ve got two games in a week, the first one being at Molineux, so we’ve got to make sure by the end of the game on Friday night we’re still in with a fighting chance of getting through.”
On a different test posed by Sparta Prague
“I think all of the European teams are slightly different. Eastern European teams have a slightly different way of playing.
“They’re highly aggressive, physical, but with talent and ability as well. We’ll have to stand up to that.
“Having watched them, it will probably be a bit more like one of our EFL Trophy games than our league games which are probably our most difficult games.
“We’re expecting a real tough test and we’ll have to stand up to that test and hopefully play some good football as well.”
On wanting to go far in the competition
“Any competition we’re in we want to go as far as we can go. Sometimes that’s decided for you by players available, teams you play against.
“Sometimes in this competition you can play against a team who have several missing that are around with their first-team. Sometimes you’re playing their strongest under-21 group or B Team. A bit of luck can have a say in it.
“We’ve got two games in a week leading up to Christmas that, if we can get three, four or six points from these games, then that gives us an opportunity going into the last game which is Hertha Berlin.
“After Christmas, that would give us a chance of qualifying which isn’t something we’ve ever done. That would be a real achievement but we’re a long way off and only one game in.
“This is going to be a real tough test. They play in the second division of the Czech league. They play in a men’s league, they’re used to men’s football, they’re used to stadiums and we’ve got to see if we can match that and show our quality.”
On entering a number of different competitions
“We enter a lot of competitions and it ends up being a lot of games for us, but we want to see each challenge the different competitions bring us.
“European opposition, international footballers, in a game that matters, win or lose, at our stadium in front of a crowd under the lights – we couldn’t set a better script to challenge our players in their development.
“We want to win the game and the result matters, but in the end it’s about the development, who does well under that pressure, who faulters, who responds from a poor start, who handles the ball in tight spaces under that pressure.
“We learn, we learn, we learn – that’s how we approach it and if we can qualify, get through and get the result as well then that’s the cherry on the cake.”
