David Artell has challenged the younger players in his squad to grasp their chance in pre-season. The Crewe Alexandra boss will assess everyone’s fitness levels when they return to full training on 28th June and he will give everyone in his squad a fair chance of staking their claim.
The Crewe boss admits that it ‘remains unlikely’ that a first year professional will break through enough to be ready to face Morecambe on the opening day of the season, but he says that their target should be to try and make the first-team squad as a reward for their progress.
David told us: “It is unlikely that a first year pro will break through in pre-season and be involved in the opening games of the season. That would be an unbelievable achievement by anyone’s standards.
“Their first objective will be to get through the pre-season because it will be mentally and physically tough for them. They have to work hard and make sure they can get through the demands of it without picking up an injury.
“They will get some chances in the pre-season games and their aim for the season will be to try and be involved as soon as possible. If that is November, Christmas, Easter or towards the end of the season who knows at the moment? That is the challenge for them.
“In my first year as a professional, I got 10 minutes away at Swansea, at their old Vetch Ground. I look back at that and think I must have done well to have got that opportunity. I must have impressed the manager enough to get that chance and all the hard work build up to that.”