Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United kick off the Premier League International Cup season on Thursday, a competition in which 12 Premier League 2 sides compete against 12 equivalent sides from elite Academies across Europe.
Spurs and West Ham, who play at Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium in Thursday’s 19:00 BST kick-off, will also face Benfica and 2015/16 champions Villarreal in Group F.
For West Ham assistant Academy manager Liam Manning, whose team is second in PL2 Division 1 after promotion last season, the International Cup is the ideal opportunity to check their progress and to see how they fare against top-class foreign opposition.
“Two years ago winning the Premier League Cup and then winning the Division 2 play-offs last year, we've got some really good lads who are performing at a really high level," said Manning.
“So it will be good for them to step up and see how they cope in this competition.
“It will definitely be interesting in terms of seeing where we are against some of the biggest clubs in Europe. If you look at the English teams this summer, we're faring quite well.
Speaking about the differences they will face against overseas opposition, Manning added: “The style of play is the big one. In England we often play quite similar teams, in terms of the intensity being high all the time.
“Quite often when you play foreign opposition in tournaments their style can be different, their change of tempo can be a lot different to what we get in England, so it gives the lads a different problem to solve.”
With West Ham also competing in the top tier of Premier League 2 and the Checkatrade Trophy, Manning says the Games Programme is so competitive that they are opting to keep more young players at the club, rather than sending them out on loan.
He said: “The Games Programme they will be exposed to provides a really good stepping stone from the Under-23s to the first team. It's made us assess how we work and what we're doing, so the Games Programme is excellent.
“In October I think we've got Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea in the League, and we're trying to look at Benfica in the International Cup as well. It's massive clubs with massive history. What an experience for the players.“
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