GREEN TEES
Warnock calls for overhaul of reserve system to toughen up Boro’s talented youngsters
NEIL WARNOCK wants his Middlesbrough youngsters to toughen up by playing more senior football.
The Boro boss was encouraged by his side’s attacking display as they dominated Brentford.
But he thinks the current Under-23s system, which has produced his talented Teesside youngsters, isn’t breeding winners.
Midfield debutant Hayden Hackney, 18, strolled around the Boro midfield as if he has been there for years, while 20-year-old sub Sam Folarin, who replaced the stricken Marcus Browne, scored his side’s equaliser.
Browne dislocated his kneecap and had it put back in on the pitch. He will be assessed today for any further damage.
Warnock (above) said: “The young lads did well. Hayden was nervous for the first five minutes but then blossomed. I was really pleased with him, and all the young lads.
“He must learn from the winning goal. It came from him losing his man, but that’s the difference between the U-23s and the first team.
“And Sam was great for the goal, but then there were two absolute disgraces when he was offside. It’s criminal for a wide player to be offside and he blotted his copybook. We’ve got to get rid of the U-23s and get back to a reserve team, like the old Central League when I was playing. The U-23s don’t learn how to play the game.
“It’s all pass, pass, pass. You don’t improve. I don’t think there’s any progression in that system for the moment.
“They’re all comfortable, but I’d like to see our U-23s play Blyth Spartans or Darlington in night matches and get some toughness in them.”
Or, as Warnock might have put it, adopt the Brentford model. The London side have a B-side, not an U-23s set-up and organise their own fixtures.
The Bees’ equally youthful team has learned the habit of winning under Neil MacFarlane, who deputised for the absent Thomas Frank in the dugout.
Their toughness showed in his side’s ability to close out victory when the pressure came on.
Halil Dervisoglu and Saman Ghoddos ( both left) assisted each other for the goals which sent Brentford through, while around them there was a tenacity to resist Boro’s charge.
MacFarlane said: “It was a big day for a lot of the young players and it was important that we won the game because a lot of young players’ development is about winning matches.
“Our system is not for every football club but, for this one, it’s been a terrific decision made by the people at the top because it gives us the opportunity to test boys in a variety of fixtures.
“We try to play against as many first teams as possible or, like today, a mixture of first teamers and U-23s. But it’s also about the people in the project.” BRENTFORD: Daniels 9, Roerslev 6, Pinnock 7, Sorensen 6, Gordon 6 (Haygarth 71, 6), Stevens 6, Ghoddos 8, Gilbert 7, Dervisoglu 7 (Goode 71, 6), Forss 6, Fosu 8 MIDDLESBROUGH: Archer 6, Spence 7, Wood 7, Bola 6, Coulson 6, Wing 7, Hackney 8, Tavernier 7 (Jones 90), Roberts 7, Browne 7 (Folarin 45, 7), Akpom 6 (Burrell 90)