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The newly-christened Checkatrade Trophy is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea – but you won’t find Mark Beevers complaining.
Though fans look certain to vote with their feet and stay away from tonight’s group game against Everton’s Under-23s, the straight-talking defender reckons it should be treated by the players as just another day at work.
Wanderers were one of the clubs that voted against allowing category one academy teams into the competition formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy but competition rules say they will be fined for fielding an under-strength side against the Young Blues.
Beevers doesn’t know how the new format – which also takes in a home game with Blackpool and an away trip to Cheltenham Town – will pan out.
“It’s all very new – it’s like a mini Champions League,” he said, with tongue very firmly in cheek. “We’ll just have to see how it goes.
“Nobody really knows what to expect but I don’t think the lads can treat the game any differently. Personally, I don’t think you can pick and choose when a result is important to you.”
Phil Parkinson has 24 hours after the final whistle to add to his squad, which still looks short on cover in certain areas.
Beevers is not concerned, however, with the extra workload that the Checkatrade Trophy brings – and is hoping he will be involved.
“We’re all professional footballers and we should be finely-tuned athletes, we should be able to play Saturday-Tuesday and not complain,” he said.
“There are a lot of games in this league, especially with an extra cup competition, but it does what it says on the tin.
“Any game I go into, I want to win it. The manager will be putting a side out to get maximum points.”
David Unsworth’s team have made an impressive start and boast some highly-rated talents such as Tyias Browning, David Henen and Jonjoe Kenny, who have already sampled life with the first team.
They have also made a 100-per-cent start to the season, beating Leicester City 4-1 on Friday.
“It’s not going to be their first team but with it being a Premier League club they’ll have players coming through their system that will be a handful. We will be expecting that,” Beevers added.
“I’m sure some of their players will be knocking on the door of the first team before much longer, so we’d better be aware.”
Unsworth is thrilled with the way his side are playing after winning four games in less than a fortnight.
“It doesn’t matter who we play or what age they are – we’re a young squad but the way we apply ourselves is a pleasure to watch,” he said after the 4-1 win against Leicester City.
“To play four games in 11 days and get four wins shows that our fitness levels are brilliant.”
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Though fans look certain to vote with their feet and stay away from tonight’s group game against Everton’s Under-23s, the straight-talking defender reckons it should be treated by the players as just another day at work.
Wanderers were one of the clubs that voted against allowing category one academy teams into the competition formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy but competition rules say they will be fined for fielding an under-strength side against the Young Blues.
Beevers doesn’t know how the new format – which also takes in a home game with Blackpool and an away trip to Cheltenham Town – will pan out.
“It’s all very new – it’s like a mini Champions League,” he said, with tongue very firmly in cheek. “We’ll just have to see how it goes.
“Nobody really knows what to expect but I don’t think the lads can treat the game any differently. Personally, I don’t think you can pick and choose when a result is important to you.”
Phil Parkinson has 24 hours after the final whistle to add to his squad, which still looks short on cover in certain areas.
Beevers is not concerned, however, with the extra workload that the Checkatrade Trophy brings – and is hoping he will be involved.
“We’re all professional footballers and we should be finely-tuned athletes, we should be able to play Saturday-Tuesday and not complain,” he said.
“There are a lot of games in this league, especially with an extra cup competition, but it does what it says on the tin.
“Any game I go into, I want to win it. The manager will be putting a side out to get maximum points.”
David Unsworth’s team have made an impressive start and boast some highly-rated talents such as Tyias Browning, David Henen and Jonjoe Kenny, who have already sampled life with the first team.
They have also made a 100-per-cent start to the season, beating Leicester City 4-1 on Friday.
“It’s not going to be their first team but with it being a Premier League club they’ll have players coming through their system that will be a handful. We will be expecting that,” Beevers added.
“I’m sure some of their players will be knocking on the door of the first team before much longer, so we’d better be aware.”
Unsworth is thrilled with the way his side are playing after winning four games in less than a fortnight.
“It doesn’t matter who we play or what age they are – we’re a young squad but the way we apply ourselves is a pleasure to watch,” he said after the 4-1 win against Leicester City.
“To play four games in 11 days and get four wins shows that our fitness levels are brilliant.”
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