LIAM Manning says it is on Oxford United’s talented youngsters to force their way into the team.
Several younger players travelled with the squad to Alicante earlier this month, including the likes of George Franklin, Teddy Mfuni and Aidan Elliott-Wheeler.
None of that particular trio are yet to make a senior appearance at first team level for the club, although Mfuni started against Southampton B as United kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 win on Saturday.
READ ALSO: Liam Manning says Oxford United still in the market for a striker
Asked about the impression that the more youthful members of the U’s squad made in Spain, Manning praised those players for their attitude, while also commending their ability.
United’s head coach said: “First and foremost, it’s always great to be able to take academy players. Always with recruitment, you should look in-house before you look externally.
“What it does in pre-season with the transition of the squad, it allows you to have a look at some of the younger lads.
“I have to say, and we fed it back to the academy staff, how they conducted themselves was terrific and they integrated into the group really well.
“Nobody was on the fringes, everybody was all-in and the senior guys did a good job of incorporating the younger ones into it.
“Especially when you’ve got Ty [Tyler Goodrham] and Gats [Gatlin O’Donkor] who have been around it already, so when you get Aidan who’s trained with us a few times at the end of last season, and is one we’re familiar with, and George is the same, it helps with the group.
“They were terrific in terms of everything they did around the place and they’ve got some interesting potential as players.
“We’ll keep working closely, and keep looking at them and tracking them, and ultimately it’s on them to force the hand to get in and around the team.”
The next opportunity for the young U’s to make an impression under Manning comes when the club makes the trip to Vanarama National League side Eastleigh for a pre-season friendly this evening.
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About the author
To sign up to Liam’s latest Oxford United newsletter for free, click here: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/newsletters/
Formerly the politics reporter for the Oxford Mail, Liam now covers all things Oxford United.
Liam attends the U’s home and away, as well as covering other big sports stories across the county.
His Oxford United newsletter is released every Saturday morning at 6am.
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