Armel Bella-Kotchap, a 22-year-old German footballer, has previously declined to play for the youth team despite having made just one senior appearance this season. Earlier in the season, Bella-Kotchap expressed his thoughts on social media, indicating his eagerness for more playtime. His statement comes during a period where the club is making selections for different levels within the team.
Martin, the team manager, has addressed speculations and discussions around player participation in the youth team. In an interview, Martin shared his stance on the situation and the dynamics around selecting players for the under-21 team. He emphasized that he does not pressure players to participate and reiterated that the decision is left to the players themselves.
Russell Martin said, “We’ve had a few playing already but I never force anyone to play in the under 21s. They’re not being brought here to play for the under 21s. Some people think that’s right, some people think that’s wrong but they’re men – they’re human beings. They have a choice. They always have a say in it – so the guys who have played it’s always been their choice, they’ve been given the choice and they’ve made the choice to play. Yeah – but at the minute, it’s not even a worry really – people will have the option for it and it’ll be down to them. We’ve got four playing tomorrow and also it’s dictated to by the rules and the fact we can’t have too many guys playing who are over age.”
The upcoming match sees four senior players lined up to feature for Simon Rusk’s side in the Premier League 2 clash with Crystal Palace at Staplewood. This decision forms part of the club’s strategy to manage playing time while adhering to league regulations on player ages. Additionally, Martin is aware of the need to balance opportunities between current first-team squad members and promising young players developing within the club.
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