Glasner says Nottingham Forest will not protect academy record for its own sake | OneFootball

Oliver Glasner wants Nottingham Forest’s academy tradition to strengthen his side, not be preserved for appearances. Pathways must lead to real minutes, earned on merit.

After Zach Abbott joined Southampton on loan, Ryan Yates is the only academy graduate who is a first-team regular. If the captain is absent, the streak, running since at least October 1941, could be threatened, though an academy or B-team player would likely be named among the substitutes.

“I know all about the record,” said Glasner. “When I see it from the football perspective, it is not just about having a player in the squad: it is about playing them.”

Forest’s academy has been pivotal, from Brennan Johnson’s rise to his £47.5 million move to Tottenham in 2023, part of more than £100 million raised, as standards climb in a fifth straight Premier League season.

Andy Reid is now head of football development, Dylan Malicheff leads the B team, and transition coach James Holland links the age groups to the seniors.

“It is the most important thing we have to do: we want to hold on to that record. So now it’s even more important to get two or three players (promoted to the senior squad), so we can be much more relaxed if one player gets an injury,” he said, speaking to The Athletic.

Yates, at Forest since the age of eight, remains the standard-bearer. “We make him an example for the whole academy. He can help these players secure their dream of a first-team opportunity in so many ways.”

Source: NY Times

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”