ManU Cup Info

My son is on an east coast team coming out for this tournament in Beaverton, staying in Hillsboro over Mem. Day. We'd be grateful for any background info on the area (sites, dining, recreation, etc.) or the locations/facilities involved or other suggestions for visitors? Thanks!

[Small Town]

Hopefully Shu's Daddy and SodiumFan will tell you someplace. I'm not from that area so if they don't reply I'll try to get them to look on this site.

[Shu's Daddy]

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I know the hotel will be in Hillsboro and we've been told that their fields will be 2 grass and 1 turf at Nike (which I think means Beaverton, I guess they test new designs and QA shoes there?) and two other fields at another location TBD. Host club looked like FC Portland when we first heard about it, but now looks to be Oswego Lake from some of the paperwork. The organizing company seems to mostly do tours to England and has the connection to ManU.

I think this is the first time they have had the ManU link, we've heard this was under another name when FC Portland did it in past, although Nike has been the sponsor for a long time.

Presumably this will all work out - obviously Nike and Manchester wouldn't put their brands on a fly-by-night operation - but it seems like a lot is changing this year and we've heard very little thus far, so I thought I'd ask in the forum what y'all have heard. And of course, it'll be the first time in the area for nearly all of us (the club has gone but not our team), so we'd appreciate suggestions for dining, sightseeing, etc. if you have any.

Thanks again.

Guest
This is a great weekend for soccer. The tourney is a top notch event and your sons team will have a blast. It is held on the nike campus(beautiful) and there are extra stuff planned for the kids involved. I hope the weather is as nice as last year. There is plenty of resturants and shopping around. We have a beautiful coast which is maybe a hour or hour in half away. Neat stuff to do downtown portland which is a 20 minutes a away. You will have a great weekend filled with lots of great memories. My daughter volunteered for it last year and she had a great time lots of people came to watch even if there children where not playing in it.
Have a great time!!!!!

Thank you - yes we are looking forward to it. I didn't realize the coast was so close, that sounds nice and we will explore. I was actually wondering if I wanted to rent a car as the team is going to get a couple of vans so we could get around just in the group but you're encouraging me to get around to more non-soccer venues! Thanks much. I'll check back to see if y'all have more suggestions as I'll post as soon as we find out about what fields are to be used, thanks again....

Thank you - yes we are looking forward to it. I didn't realize the coast was so close, that sounds nice and we will explore. I was actually wondering if I wanted to rent a car as the team is going to get a couple of vans so we could get around just in the group but you're encouraging me to get around to more non-soccer venues! Thanks much. I'll check back to see if y'all have more suggestions as I'll post as soon as we find out about what fields are to be used, thanks again....

P.S. Please thank your daughter for us, we understand that big events like this really depend on their volunteers to make things come off ok, I shudder to think what it would cost for tournaments if they had to pay all the people who get everything ready, answer (patiently) all the questions, give directions, etc. etc. etc.

[Shu's Daddy]

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There is so much to do within 90 minutes of town. Like ddmom mentioned, the coast 60-90 minutes away (depending on where you go), the mountain is also about 90 minutes away, you can head out to the gorge and visit Multnomah Falls (about a 45 minute drive EB I-84 at roughly MP25), and there's lots of fun things to see downtown. If you're a beer fan, then Oregon is the place for you! They have all sorts of beers, microbeers, etc. Lots of great restaurants nearby Nike, as well in all directions. Just drive for 5 minutes, turn right and you're somewhere great!

thanks S'Daddy, we will toast you!

[Yogdogg]

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Plus the Oregon Wine Country is only 45 minutes away. Some awesome vino in the Pacific NW

[Shu's Daddy]

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So how was it?

Just got back late last night, had a great time. We would have enjoyed better results, but went 1-3-1 with all games decided by one goal. Run of play was excellent, as were the refereeing and fields. After our games we all watched both semi's go to PKs and girls final (also PKs) and got some surprise in at the final! Weather was spectacular, we got to enjoy one sunny day and an outstanding thunderstorm and downpour to break up the drizzle. All games got off with only drizzle except one half was steady rain, but event that was warm and no wind - quite unlike our spring season back home! Nike put on a great event, player's lounge was the hit everyone described and NikeTown was like a nite "in da club" for the kids. We also fit in side trips to Mt. Hood and the Falls. And, yes, as promised, our parents did toast you, Shu's Daddy!

It was a great weekend all said and done. About half of our side are actually 94s and they are already making plans for next year.

Thanks again to you guys for all the helpful travel suggestions, and also to Burgerville for all the help, and Hot Lips Pizza for the raspberry drafts and for putting on that last BBQ pork pizza!

Re: ManU Cup Info

I forgot to mention, thanks to the host club Lake Oswego for all their work and especially to those hustling ball kids. My son is GK and really appreciated their help and hustle getting dry balls in. There was one tiny girl, blond, about three ball-diameters tall, working the final who had a great first touch, I expect we'll see her playing her own final in about 9 years.

Thanks again.

[Shu's Daddy]

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