The Youth Team disappointingly lost to Cheltenham Town 3-1 on Saturday, but Head of Academy Coaching Andy McMillan isn’t too disheartened with result...
The Youth Team disappointingly lost to Cheltenham Town 3-1 on Saturday, but Head of Academy Coaching Andy McMillan isn’t too disheartened with result.
The youngsters have a free week ahead and don’t have a game until they face Peterborough United on 3 August and are taking time this week to visit an activities centre to build up teamwork and team spirit.
He told the Official Site on Monday morning: “After reflecting over the weekend, we were a little bit harsh on the lads. They’ve had a tough pre-season so far with a number of games and they’ve worked incredibly hard.
“We’ve made the long bus journey to Cheltenham and we sort of let ourselves down. We didn’t perform as well as we can.
“We need to start the games better and quicker and get ourselves on the ball.
“But as I’ve said before, you don’t win anything in pre-season and our main focus is the Burton game to start the new season.
“It’s all the staff’s job to pick everyone up, Mick, Dan, Tom and myself and also the player’s responsibility to turn it around.
“If they want to make it in this game, and play for the First team and get through to the Development Squad, they’ve got to show themselves how much they want it."
The player’s have a free week ahead and will spend three days away at an Outdoor Activity Centre in the Peak District.
McMillan added: “We’ve now got a few days away at Duke’s Barn, pick up the team spirit and recover.
“The lads will be doing all sorts, caving, abseiling, canoeing. It will be good and help team build. We are lucky enough to have the opportunity to do it.
“It will be a bit of fun, a bit of a break, as the lads continued their work on the coaching badges at the end of the week."
View the Youth Team’s fixtures for the forthcoming season by clicking here.