Barnsley Boss Throws Academy Kid Into The Deep End As Season Winds Down
Conor Hourihane has decided now's the perfect time to blood academy goalkeeper Kieren Flavell, starting him against Northampton and handing him the gloves for Saturday's final-day showdown with Stockport County.
Sometimes timing is everything in football, and sometimes it's absolutely baffling. Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane has chosen the business end of the season to hand academy goalkeeper Kieren Flavell his big break, promoting the youngster straight into the first-team starting XI.
Flavell got his baptism of fire away at Northampton Town, where Barnsley managed what Hourihane diplomatically termed a 'professional' win on the road. Translation: they did the job without setting the world alight, which frankly sounds about right for a team giving an untested keeper his debut away from home.
The decision to thrust Flavell between the sticks isn't just a one-off either. Hourihane has declared it's the 'right time' to give the academy product the goalkeeper's jersey, meaning Flavell will be donning the gloves again for Saturday's final-day encounter against Stockport County at Oakwell.
It's the kind of move that either looks like inspired man-management in hindsight or leaves you wondering what on earth was going through the gaffer's mind. Throwing academy graduates into crucial end-of-season matches is either supreme confidence in your youth setup or a sign that things behind the scenes aren't quite as rosy as they appear.
For Flavell himself, it's the stuff dreams are made of - going from the academy ranks to first-team starter in what feels like the blink of an eye. The lad has clearly impressed someone in training to earn this level of trust, particularly with the season reaching its conclusion and every point potentially crucial.
Saturday's clash with Stockport County at Oakwell will be another stern test of Hourihane's faith in his young shot-stopper. Home advantage should help settle any nerves, though there's nothing quite like the pressure of knowing you're the academy kid who's been handed the keys to the kingdom when it matters most.
Whether this proves to be a masterstroke or a case of throwing someone in at the deep end remains to be seen. What's certain is that Flavell's rapid rise from academy obscurity to first-team regular makes for compelling viewing as Barnsley sign off their campaign.
One thing's for sure - if you're going to blood youth players, doing it when there's everything to play for certainly sorts the wheat from the chaff rather quickly.