Shan looks ahead to FA Youth Cup clash

Jimmy Shan is looking forward to seeing Aston Villa begin their 2024/25 FA Youth Cup campaign, in Friday’s third round meeting with Accrington Stanley.

The East Lancashire outfit visit Bodymoor Heath with action set to get underway at 7pm, the Young Lions going in search of their fifth Youth Cup title, having last lifted the trophy in 2021.

Villa’s Under-18 Head Coach discussed the history and tradition of the competition, and how his players eagerly anticipate testing themselves in a competitive, straight-knockout scenario.

He said: “It’s obviously a cup competition deep in tradition, one we’ve won previously before.

“Most clubs at this level get their full quota of players available for it, so we’re going to have a big squad available to pick from, and it’s going to be exciting.

“Most clubs treat it as a ‘best v best’, so will put out their best-possible starting 11. It’s certainly an opportunity to test yourself against the best out there at your age group.

“It’s a competitive competition, you get one go at it, so there’s that added pressure of making sure you’re able to perform on that occasion, to get through to the next round.”

Joining the club over the summer, Shan has overseen a successful start to his first Under-18 Premier League season, with his side currently five points clear at the top of the southern division table.

As the Villans head into a winter break over the festive period, the former Rochdale assistant assessed the campaign so far, while evaluating the balance of developing the players while nurturing a winning mentality amongst the group.

He continued: “It’s been good. Since my first day here, the lads have bought into the process, and I think that’s been very strong with us.

“Parts of the process – and the way we work on a day-to-day basis, week to week – don’t really change very much, and that’s been reflected in our performances and results, so it’s been a positive start thus far.

“It’s a reflection of the way we work, and a credit to the staff and the players alike.

“They’ve been very consistent. Their work ethic and application has been fantastic, and that gets rewarded in your performances and results.

“It is a developmental programme, it’s about developing players and improving players, and that’s at the forefront of our coaching and the way we coach at the football club, but also, they are competing to develop, so it’s in a competitive nature.

“We need to make sure we instil that winning mentality, and that aspect of the players, into the game. Ultimately, that’s the industry, it’s about winning and performing.”