CITY Boss scratches head as Euro kids are NOT alright
CITY academy bosses will often talk about prioritising performance over results as they look to bring through the next generation of stars.
EDS coach Paul Harsley was unhappy with both after overseeing a 2-0 defeat to Lyon that dumped the young Blues out of the UEFA Youth League with a game to spare – their worst effort in six attempts.
It was always going to be an uphill battle to qualify as they lined up to play a team that had beaten them 4-1 at the Etihad Campus, knowing a win was the minimum requirement to try to repair the damage caused by taking just one point from their opening three games. A 4-1 victory over Shakhtar two weeks ago looked to have breathed life into this year’s cohort, and the presence of Eric Garcia and Luke Bolton in the starting XI at Lyon’s training ground reflected the improving injury situation.
But neither understandably looked fully up to speed and Lyon were better in a deserved victory that keeps the French side on top of the group.
City reached the semi-finals of this competition last season and Harsley was bitterly frustrated that it has all gone so wrong this time.
“It’s really disappointing. For some reason we seem to save our worst for this competition. I don’t know why,” he said. “I said in the changing room I don’t know if the occasion is too big or not big enough – which is a worry either way.
“It’s really disappointing from every angle and it’s rounded off a really disappointing youth Champions League campaign.
“We’ve come a long, long way since we lost to Lyon at home – how we’ve been playing, results, everything, and then unfortunately we’ve gone out there and put a poor performance in, which is really frustrating because it keeps happening in this competition.”
Pep Guardiola has made his low opinion of the U23 league obvious, and City face a tough task next week against Barnsley, Harsley’s former club, in the first knockout round of the Checkatrade Trophy.
The performances in that tournament have been as promising as the UEFA Youth League has been disappointing, but the 2016 winners are impressing near the top of League One.
Whatever the result, Harsley explained what he wants to see from the team that he puts out at Oakwell next Tuesday night. returned to action after injury
“We respond by getting back quickly to where we had got ourselves.
“I’m so frustrated that we just save our worst for this. I just don’t know why it is.
“A week today we’re playing in the Checkatrade Trophy and that’s been alright so far so we want a reaction from the players.”