The youngsters are starting to come good…
Even in their Premier League heyday Middlesbrough have been renowned for their successful academy of top standard footballers. Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and Joe Bennett have all gone on to pastures new for large transfer sums whilst Middlesbrough continue to prepare their homegrown talents for first team football in the Championship. Middlesbrough have always operated on a “if your good enough your old enough” thesis and this looks to be continuing under Aitor Karanka.
During this pre-season Karanka has withheld from shipping out his young stars, instead opting to give them all a fair opportunity to impress. Curtis Main has failed this test and moved onto Doncaster whilst Christian Burgess is expected to continue his footballing development at Hartlepool United for next season. However, Karanka has equipped Luke Williams, Adam Reach and Andre Bennett for first team football in the past few weeks with all three looking like mainstays in his squad. 17 year old Fewster has been given pre season game time and he may be given the chance to prove himself, although this season may come too soon for the striker.
With the signing of Husband, another promising youngster from Doncaster, Middlesbrough look like possessing the kind of youthful exuberance needed to unlock strong Championship defences.
