A WORCESTER team have had the chance of a lifetime making a confidence-boosting trip to Premier League football team Liverpool.
And, as part of the experience, Nunnery Kestrels U14s met football legend Michael Owen.
The opportunity came about as a parent of one of the team applied to Liverpool Football Club's sponsor's AXA following their social media appeal to find a team deserving of a confidence boost.
Prior to the visit Nunnery Kestrels U14s were struggling to win matches.
As a complete surprise to the players, the Kestrels made the trip to Liverpool's iconic Anfield ground and training ground.
The players met Liverpool FC Women's side gaining tips and help to turn their form around.
Then, before their next match, Michael Owen was revealed as a surprise coach to the shock of everyone.
He told the youngsters: "Confidence comes and goes but I think, if we can all help each other, then it will certainly grow within the team."
And during the match the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and England star is shown giving a halftime talk in which he says: "We can win this.
"You can always be first on the ball, keep the pressure on."
Then later the 43-year-old is shown celebrating the Kestrels' scoring.
Chris O'Neill, manager of the Kestrels who play at Blessed Edwards High School's playing field, said: "They didn't know what was happening, we kept it a secret.
"We just told them the filming crew were there for a piece on women's football.
"I don't know who enjoyed it the most, us coaches or the girls."
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Chris said they had the chance to enjoy a kickabout with the former Ballon D'or winner with the coaches learning a lot from him during his visit.
"At the start of the season we hadn't got many wins," the manager said.
"The girl's confidence has grown massively.
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"They compete in every game now, they won again on Saturday."
The experience was organised as part of AXA's Shared Confidence campaign to support amateur footballers worldwide.
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