AFC Bournemouth
Coach Alan Connell hopes some team bonding will pay dividends when AFC Bournemouth under-18s resume battle in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup on Wednesday.
The Cherries young guns lock horns with MK Dons in the second round, the tie taking place at their Woughton on the Green training ground (1pm kick off).
Connell’s team set up a trip to Buckinghamshire after winning a penalty shootout against Dons’ South East division rivals Northampton Town last month.
The clash comes just four days after the Cherries suffered their first league defeat of the season, going down 1-0 to Swindon in the South West division on Saturday.
A worsening injury crisis saw Connell include no fewer than ten first-year scholars in his squad against the Robins, with five named in the Cherries starting line-up.
Toure Williams was the latest player to be added to the casualty list, the midfielder ruled out against Swindon due to a muscular problem.
Fellow second years Ben Winterburn, Archie Harris, Daniel Adu-Adjei and Kian Tydeman are also currently sidelined, as is first-year scholar Noah Crisp.
The sextet, who are all at different stages of their respective rehab programmes, will be included in the travelling party which leaves Vitality Stadium early on Wednesday.
Connell told afcb.co.uk: “It’s a knockout cup game, we want to produce a performance and reach the next round so having the squad together is important.
“Sometimes with the injured players, we have to leave them behind for away games both for logistical reasons and so they can concentrate on their rehab. But we’re taking a coach to Milton Keynes so everybody can be involved. We want the whole squad to be together.”
Providing an update on the six players, Connell said: “Ben Winterburn injured his knee in the Premier League Cup game against Arsenal in January. He still has several months to go with his rehab.
“Daniel Adu-Adjei damaged his ankle playing against Brighton in the Premier League Cup last month. He has several weeks to go before he recovers and is ready to train.
“Archie Harris sustained a nasty knee injury playing in the Hampshire Senior Cup against Folland Sports last week. He will be out for a considerable period of time and we are trying to find out the full extent of his injury.
“Kian Tydeman suffered a calf strain four weeks ago and still has a few more weeks to go, Noah Crisp has a wrist injury and has quite a long way to go, while Toure Williams has a slight muscular issue so hopefully won’t be too long.”
Connell added: “We’ve got some big players missing but there is nothing to be gained by dwelling on that. We will support the boys and get them back as soon as we can.
“It’s important that the players coming in grasp their opportunities and this is one of the messages I have given them.
“If those players had been fit, they may not have been given these chances so they need to step up and take them.
“Injuries are part and parcel of football. As a player, you always need to be ready because you never know when your chance will come along. For some of our younger players, that chance starts against MK Dons.”
Connell is pictured above with (left to right) Ben Winterburn, Kian Tydeman and Daniel Adu-Adjei.
