Blues face tough test in Island Games

The Shetland football team face a difficult group for this year’s Natwest Island Games – with the Isle of Wight being a tough nut to crack.

The blues have been grouped with the 2011 winners, along with the Falkland Islands and Hitra and will battle it out this summer. Coach Niall Bristow expects a tough challenge ahead.

Shetland last featured in the games in 2009 and bagged a gold medal on home soil in 2005.

Asked if it was tough draw, Bristow replied: “It is. Because of the very nature of the Island Games is that you must win your group to compete for a medal.”

Bristow expects the Isle of Wight to have retained some of their players from the winning squad and without being disrespectful to the other teams, expects the Isle of Wight versus Shetland clash to be similar a recent FA cup tie.

“It could be viewed on as a Chelsea versus Bradford situation,” he said.

More in Friday’s Shetland Times.