After a week in which the main focus has been the high profile departure of Jack Wilshere, Arsenal U18s will return to action on Saturday, coincidentally away to Norwich City.
Following Wilshere’s departure to become part of the first-team coaching staff at Norwich, Adam Birchall has stepped up to succeed him as Arsenal U18s coach.
Given that he worked as Wilshere’s assistant and possesses plenty of experience of working with younger age groups at the club, Birchall seems the ideal appointment.
Birchall can also call upon his own experience as an academy player at Arsenal, having signed scholarship terms in 2001 before departing in 2005.
Arsenal U18s will be eager to return to winning ways against Norwich following their defeat against Aston Villa last weekend.
It will be intriguing to see if Birchall makes any tactical alterations and indeed what his team selection will be.
Some of the second year scholars had barely featured under Wilshere this season and it will be interesting to see if they will now be given another chance to make an impact.
With a new FA Youth Cup campaign on the horizon, there will be plenty of work for Birchall to do as he looks to build upon the foundations he helped to build along with Wilshere.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com
Follow him on Twitter @jeorge_bird
I used to promote Adam Birchall from the u18s in CM0304. Now he coaches them. Fuck I’m old.