Under-23s coach Andy Reid has spoken about the challenges of overseeing Nottingham Forest’s young players while football is suspended.
The former midfielder returned to the City Ground earlier this year as academy technical coach, linking up with his old teammate, Chris Cohen.
But with the game having been brought to a halt by the coronavirus pandemic and the country in lockdown, it has meant relying on technology to keep tabs on his charges.
“First of all, we have a responsibility to ensure that their mental and physical health is correct,” Reid told The 42.
“But it is also important that they have something positive to focus on.
“They are footballers, and footballers need football day in, day out to keep them in check and keep them focused. When you don’t have it, that becomes a problem.
“I know from my own experiences, when football is taken away it can begin to play tricks on your mind. That is why we have a psychologist involved in the conversations.
“We have to try and find a balance.
“These are young men between the ages of 18 to 22, they are starting to become more mature so we can’t treat them like kids.
“When we give them drills to do using Instagram and Zoom, it’s important that they are engaged and stimulated by it. It’s not like you are dealing with children who you can tell, ‘this is what you do, go and do it’.
“We are preparing these players to play in the first-team so they have to be ready for that.”
In addition to his job back on the banks of the Trent, Reid has retained his role as head coach of Ireland’s Under-18s.
And he is well aware of the responsibility which comes with ensuring players are ready to make the step up to senior football.
“We need players who are ready and mature enough to go straight into a first-team environment and able to make an impact,” he said.
“We as coaches, and the players, need to understand that the first-team are looking for ready-made players.
“Managers have such a short life span that they don’t have time to bed players in for two, three years.
“Their jobs don’t last that long. They want players that are ‘bang, ready to go’.
“That’s the challenge working with young players. Getting them ready for those demands.”
