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The idea of the Academy over the last 3 or 4 years has been to get players back into the game.
The only way that you’re going to get players into the game is by them going on trials.
Darren and Doriano went to Leeds, a great club in the championship, steeped in history as a football club.
I mentioned that we had a little bit of a shortage at centre half, so we had an opportunity there for somebody to come in and play.
Jimmy Gilligan did mentioned that he had got two players that had been doing really well for him.
To have a trial at the age that they are now, is the most important thing. They’ve had 2 or 3 weeks with us now
and they’ve applied themselves well, showing great attitude and its obvious that they have ability.
They known what the level is, it’s up to them now. Darren is a good footballer, I think his strengths are on the ball.
And obviously it’s a test and a big jump up to come to a professional club and play well.
Like Darren, he has got ability, there is no two ways about that. He’s a good athlete and has a good build.
I think he has more of a physical presence, he’s a very strong boy, very committed and driven.
He attacks the ball really well. I think his qualities are more defensive than offensive with the ball.
Playing against the Nike Academy was good because you know what they are feeling, and what they’re going to do.
They want to be in the same position as you are, at a club to get a contract.
Unfortunately they weren’t offered a contract but the feedback that we got from Neil Redfern who took the U21’s group,
was that they both conducted themselves very well, that they were both a credit to the Academy,
technically and tactically they did very well. What clubs look for are players that are better than what they have got already,
not players that are there or thereabouts of what they have got. So for me it is very pleasing that
they’ve gone in and held their own at a championship club with 21 players who have been together for a long time.
We’re obviously disappointed that we didn’t achieve a contract with either of those two.
I’m not happy that I didn’t get signed, but I have to take it with me as a good experience.
It’s going to help me a lot in the future, because you know what their standards are.
They should have come back a little bit more educated about what it takes to be a footballer, understanding what being
in a top class environment is like, and also what is needed to be playing at that level.
You’re disappointed that Leeds didn’t want you but if you think about where you come from, because I was an amateur,
and from an amateur club to Nike, and then to a big club like Leeds united, that’s a big gap.
So you have to be proud of yourself and train hard at Nike and not let your standards down and hopefully another club comes.
When jimmy rings us and says he’s got a player, we listen. There are good players coming through the Nike Academy
and if we can have an opportunity to look at them, we’d do that.