Training With The First Team Is Invaluable - Rioch

Coventry City Academy Boss Gregor Ricoh feels that the experience some of the Academy players had yesterday of training with the first team squad will prove invaluable.

"We've had some of our older boys already in and around the first team and at the same time we've had some of our first years who have only been in the building for four months getting to a stage of realising what first team football is all about," Rioch said to Sky Blue Player after his team trained with the first team at Ryton yesterday.

"That's why these sessions with the first team are invaluable because our young lads can come to realise what is expected at that level. The physical side of the game and how the ball moves all become a reality and it's really helpful in getting our apprentices and younger players to take their game up a level."

Results are not every thing at U18's level and the aim of the game is to provide the first team management with as many players as possible. Rioch's whose team lose 5-0 at Leicester on Saturday added: "We were up against a very experienced side in Leicester at the weekend, playing against some players who have already been involved in Leicester's first team.