Under-18's coach believes Youth Cup will provide a good experience...
Coventry City Under-18’s coach Ian Foster believes having the Academy players playing at the Ricoh Arena will do wonders for their development.
The Sky Blues will host Shrewsbury Town in the FA Youth Cup First Round with the fixture to be played at the Ricoh Arena and tickets are £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.
Coventry last won the FA Youth Cup in 1987, the same year as the senior team’s FA Cup triumph. Foster is hoping the young players can learn a lot from playing in this prestigious tournament.
The coach commented: “The players are all excited and it is definitely a fixture we all look forward to as it is such a great tournament.
“We have had a great draw in the sense that we are at home so we get to impress the supporters to come and watch tonight.
“They are all looking forward to playing at the stadium tomorrow night and hopefully we can get the result we need.
“In training you can see what it means. They are all desperate to get into the starting XI tomorrow night and make their own impression.
“Most importantly, it is great for their development that they can play in such a high profile game.”
Foster joined the club in September having had a successful playing career at clubs such as Hereford United and Kidderminster Harriers.
He holds a UEFA Pro Licence and has previously managed Irish sides Galway United and Dundalk.
The City coach says he has really enjoyed his time at the club so far and hopes to see the Academy side progress this year.
He added: “I have really enjoyed it here so far and we have a smashing group who want to achieve. It is my job to help them get to the next level and I can’t wait to see that happen.
“Coventry are an established football club and the biggest in the area, and over recent seasons, the Academy has been doing fantastically well. It is great to see how many Academy Graduates are coming through into the first team.
“It was a huge incentive in coming to the football club, knowing that these actually do get an opportunity here. Hopefully I will be seeing plenty of players coming through the first team over the next few years.”
The winners of the tie will face either Oldham Athletic or Accrington Stanley in the second round.