Former Wales international Christian Edwards is preparing to drive a mammoth 1,000-plus miles to lead Cardiff Met’s challenge in Europe.
Edwards will be on the road for around 20 hours making the round trip from Wales to Luxembourg, while fellow Met coaches and the players will be flying.
“I’m petrified of flying,” admitted Met manager Edwards during a press conference in Cyncoed. “When we flew back from the Europa League draw in Switzerland it was not a pretty sight.
“I felt for the Swiss lady in front of me because I was shaking the chair and wanting to get off.
“A game of cards went up in the air. It wasn’t good.
Manager Christian Edwards said yesterday that he'll be driving to Luxembourg for our Europa League fixture as he is petrified of flying… He's started planning.#SwannysEuropeanTours pic.twitter.com/Ur3Jim29Wr
— Cardiff Met Uni FC (@CardiffMetFC) June 14, 2019
“There was a bad experience leaving Italy a few years ago and it hasn’t ben the greatest for me ever since. It’s like a panic attack.
“Never say never in terms of flying, but I’d rather not. My biggest fear is seeing that lot behind you (student players) laughing and thinking they can get one over me.
“I’ll be travelling by EuroStar and driving. I’m not sure about getting on a plane again.”
Caerphilly-born Edwards, a 43-year-old former Swansea City and Nottingham Forest defender, has overseen remarkable progress for Cardiff Met over the last decade.
Their inexperience in European football led to a moment of embarrassment after Met were drawn against FC Progres Niederkorn, a club based in South West Luxembourg.
“It’s not until you are at the Uefa headquarters that it’s possible to realise the sheer size and volume of the organisation,” said Edwards.
“Little Cardiff Met turned up with three representatives and we were embarassed when we were second team drawn, against Progres, and they had gifts for us.
“We had two make excuses when we didn’t have gifts for them.
“The defining moment when when the Champions League music played and I thought ‘Wow, this is real’.
“Ten years ago, I would have laughed if you had said our students would be playing European football in a competition which saw Arsenal and Chelsea play each other in the final last season.
“When I started here we had a grass pitch, a couple of cones, footballs and a net to carry our stuff in.
“We have progressed a long way. Everybody involved has helped our club progress into the juggernaut it is.
“We are unique. We have a unique model. The buy-in we have is ridiculous.”
Met take on FC Progres Niederkorn in the Europa League preliminary round. The first leg is away in Luxembourg on Thursday, June 27 with the return at Leckwith Stadium on Thursday, July 4.
Progres finished fourth in their national league during 2018-19, while Met were seventh in the JD Sports Welsh Premier League.
Qualifying for the Europa League is worth £193,000 prize money for Cardiff Met FC.
This money will be used to hire a pitch and medics for their home Europa fixture as well as covering travel expenses for the away tie.
https://twitter.com/CardiffMetFC/status/1139548610155204608
It will also be reinvested into player development, both on and off the pitch and hopefully extending students time at the university by helping to fund post-graduate and PhD studies, in order to solidify the foundations we have and keep the group of players together for as long as possible.
Edwards and his voluntary staff still face a problem over their trip to Luxembourg.
“If anybody can find a free hotel over there we’d like two know,” says Edwards. “We have been finding that difficult.”
Four Welsh Premier League clubs will be playing in Europe next season. Barry Town United have been drawn against Cliftonville from Northern Ireland in the Europa League preliminary stage.
Connah’s Quay Nomads enter the competition at the first qualifying round stage, while WPL champions The New Saints are in Uefa Champions League football.