AGGER DO!

Agger, who captains the Denmark national team, says he is happy and honoured to be involved with an event he played in a decade ago.

Liverpool manager Rodgers, also a tournament “old boy,” has strong connections with the Milk Cup. The Carnlough man played in the competition three times for Ballymena in the 1980s and returned as a coach, introducing Chelsea to the event in 2005 when he was head of the youth academy at Stamford Bridge.

He accompanied then Chelsea manager Avram Grant to the draw five years ago just days before the Blues lost the Champions League final to Manchester United in Moscow.

“Daniel was very keen to be involved when we asked Brendan if he would be available to join him,” revealed Milk Cup secretary Jim Weir.

“During last year’s tournament he responded to our official Twitter account, recalling how that he played for the Denmark team in the Elite competition, so too did Aston Villa keeper Brad Guzman who played for the United States in the Elite event in 2003, the same year as Daniel.”

Agger, who started his senior career at Danish club Brøndby who have also visited the tournament in the past, was part of a Danish Milk Cup squad that included Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, striker Mads Timm, who earlier in his career played for United at the tournament and current Sampdoria left-back Simon Busk Poulson.

Agger won the Danish Superliga and Danish Cup with Brondby before moving to Liverpool in January 2006 for a £6m fee.

Capped 56 times by Denmark, he has been a League Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield winner with the Anfield Reds and last year agreed a new contract, ending speculation linking him with Manchester City and Barcelona.

Liverpool will have representatives in the Premier and Junior competitions this summer and Agger is hoping to see a Denmark triumph in the Elite competition.

The Danes have been regulars at the senior level down the years but only secured a first ever title two years ago when they defeated Northern Ireland 1-0 in the final at Ballymena Showgrounds.

The Milk Cup draw will take place on Tuesday, April 30, at W5 in the Odyssey Complex, Belfast.

Coleraine hosts the traditional welcome parade of participating teams from the Diamond to the Showgrounds on Sunday, July 28. Finals night will be Friday, August 2, at Ballymena Showgrounds.

In addition to the Dairy Council’s principal sponsorship of the tournament, the Milk Cup is supported by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, BBC Sport NI and the four Council areas of Coleraine, Ballymena, Ballymoney and Limavady.