Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has urged his young players to rise to the challenge of becoming first team players at Pittodrie.
The Dons boss took several members of Barry Robson’s under-18 squad with the first team for the club’s week-long training camp at strategic partners Atlanta United.
Goodwin is pleased to see the teenagers respond by showing up well in training and in the 1-0 friendly win against an Atlanta United XI last week.
He said: “Alfie Bavidge is scoring plenty, Liam Harvey has been involved since the League Cup campaign, Blair McKenzie at centre half has a lot of development to do but has had a very good season within his group.
“Dylan Lobban and young Findlay Marshall are two really good players I’m excited about.
“We’ve got Blessing Oluyemi in goal and Adam Emslie is one who goes under the radar a bit but he has good technical ability, good speed and was unlucky one of his goals was chalked off for offside.
“It’s a great experience for those lads and we would never have brought them all the way to Atlanta and not given them game time.”
Dons boss impressed by energy of youngsters in Atlanta
Goodwin insists all the youth academy players who joined the first team at Atlanta’s training base showed why his decision to take them with the squad was the correct one.
The Dons boss was impressed by the youngsters’ performance in the friendly win at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta training ground.
He said: “We had a really good competitive game against a very good young Atlanta United team.
“It was a great opportunity for me to give some of the squad members who haven’t played a lot recently some much needed game time.
“I thought they improved the game and that’s the biggest compliment I can give them.
“They added some energy and hopefully the experience has given them a taste of what it’s like to be a first team player.”
The Aberdeen manager has challenged the youngsters to take inspiration from their trip to the United States by stepping up to the task of progressing to the first team squad.
He said: “It’s really beneficial for them just to be among the first team squad. The players we brought with us are all players who earned the right.
“We were missing a number of our senior players due to international commitments but I watch a lot of the under-18 team and speak to Barry Robson and his guys regularly on the development of some of these games and watch as many games at Cormack Park as possible.
“When they go back to Cormack Park I hope they’ll work a little bit harder to make sure they are coming on trips like this more regularly.”
Atlanta trip declared a success
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Following a weekend trip to watch the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL the Dons’ training camp has come to an end.
Goodwin believes the week has been a positive one on and off the field for the club – and the supporters who were able to join the team in Atlanta.
He said: “It’s been a great week, we had great use of the Atlanta United facilities and the partnership is something the club is really working hard on.
“Covid put a bit of stop to it but it has been hugely beneficial up to now and the fact we were able to give Aberdeen fans based in America to not only see the team but mingle with the lads has been fantastic.”
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