Coventry City manager Chris Coleman has spoken about the difficult task of releasing the three academy players Ashley Cain, Curtis Wynter and Adam Walker, and has told them they could still succeed in professional football.
Coleman said, “It is not my favourite part of the job and just one of those things that comes with being a manager. They are they really nice lads who have been brought up the right way and we all want to see them do well and wish them the best of luck for the future."
“It would be easy for me to give them another contract but we don’t feel they will come through for us and the best thing for their development is to move into the lower divisions and build from there. Sometimes you have to take a step down to step back up. I had to do it when I was a lad."
“I started out at Man City and was released by them and joined Swansea, who were in the fourth division at the time. That’s where I cut my teeth and I spent five years there and that’s where it all happened for me. So if you are good enough and want it enough you can bounce back, whether that is in 12 months or another two to three years or more."
“If these boys want it enough they will have every chance of making a living in the game. It is a horrible time for them when they have been told they are being released and they can go one of two ways. They either fall out of the game, which a heck of a lot do, because A, they don’t deal with the disappointment or B, because they are not good enough, or they pick themselves up and find their level and work their way back up.”
Coleman didn't think the abolition of the reserve team had any effect on the development of the youngster, explaining, “We play quite a few friendlies and Adam got plenty of games out on loan at Nuneaton where he did really well, and Ashley went out on loan to Luton and Oxford so they have had their games,”
“In actual fact the reserve leagues have suffered a lot this year with the weather so there is a big backlog still to be played.
All three released players have made first team appearances, Cain made one start in the Carling Cup and seven substitute appearances for the first team. Wynter made two first team starts last season in the FA Cup and in the Championship but has suffered with bad luck with injuries. Adam Walker also started a Carling Cup game and made two appearances from the bench.