Town First-Team Coach Ross Embleton sat down with swindontownfc.co.uk earlier to preview tonight’s Central League Development game away at AFC Wimbledon (7pm Kick-Off).
“It is important we remember that a number of the boys we would class as experienced are still very, very young and still qualify as developing young players,” he said.
“We perceive them as being quite experienced but at the same time there is still lots to develop and lots for them to learn and get them ready so that they become more established professionals in our team and build towards having an extended career.
“Will Henry will play in goal, Bradley Barry will get some minutes, Jake Evans will play, Jordan Young will continue his return from injury as will Jordan Stewart and James Brophy will play.
“This game will help us discover a little bit more about some of the injury problems James has had so it is really important from that perspective.
“It gives us a chance to look at one or two others and it is really important for the young scholars who are going to be involved in the game.
“It is a busy week for the club in general. We’ve got the FA Youth Cup on Thursday so we have to take that into account, we’ve also obviously got the FA Cup game which is a day earlier than the norm so it is about getting the balance right in terms of putting a team out that can go and perform tonight, but at the same time making sure that we don’t overburden anybody and put them at risk of injury for their games towards the weekend.”
Embleton also outlined just how important these Development games are in terms of striking the perfect balance between doing enough to win a game of football and teaching the club’s younger players the skills they need to carve out a career in the sport.
“It is about teaching the players and helping them to become professional footballers and learn to become the best players that they can be,” he added.
“It is trying to show the young players in the group what it is about in terms of what we are looking for from them as individuals but, at the same time, it is a team game and we need to make sure that they are capable of performing as a team collectively.
“The result isn’t something that we burden everyone with as the be all and end all but we are out there on the pitch to win a game of football.
“That is all part of people learning how to win and the ways in which you manage a game and perform in order to get a result.”
