LIAM Bailey is hoping the youngsters leaving Colchester United this summer will go on and forge good careers elsewhere after a dozen academy players were released.
The likes of Gene Kennedy, Donell Thomas, Harry Beadle, Ronnie Nelson and Ted Collins will all be leaving the JobServe Community Stadium this summer, after being told they would not be offered new contracts by the U’s.
Fellow academy players Ryan Lowe, T’Aizo Marcel-Dilaver, Kaan Bennett, Jet Dyer, Kennedy Mupomba, Byan Aman and Matt Yates will also be departing Colchester, following the announcement of their retained/released list.
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However, the U’s have offered fresh terms to under-21 players Harrison Chamberlain, Frankie Edwards, Max Jolliffe and Milton Oni.
The club have taken up an option on deals for under-21 duo Oscar Thorn and Frankie Terry, with fellow youngsters Oliver Godziemski, Kaleel Green, Archie Oliver and Hakeem Sandah also under contract.
U’s under-21 boss Bailey said: “There’s always the disappointment side of it and it’s never nice to release players.
“There will be players that move on; there’ll be players where we might have got it right and players where we might have got it wrong.
“Hopefully, they can all go on to have a really good career, first of all at Colchester United but if not, then we’ve done enough for them to go and forge a career somewhere else.
“It’s a funny part of the season but we’ve got to try and get on to the next ones.
“That’s what it’s about unfortunately.
“In the history of the club, we’ve always produced players and we have some more to come.
“We’re always onto the next one and that’s the challenge that we’re trying to set to the boys, in the dressing room – who’s going to be next?
“Luckily, we’ve always had the managers that will play them if they’re good enough.
“That’s the philosophy of the club and it’s down to those players in there to go and grasp the opportunity we’ve got at this football club.
“I think the fans can be excited about what’s coming.”
READ MORE: Experienced players depart as U's announced retained list
Colchester’s under-21s chalked up a third straight Professional Development League win when they beat Watford 2-1, on Tuesday night.
“I thought it was a good performance from the lads,” added long-serving U’s academy coach Bailey.
“Lots of stuff we’d worked on in training came out in the first half.
“The biggest compliment is they changed shape at half-time to try and combat our midfield.
“They started to get on top a little bit but we stuck with what we’re trying to do, changed the way we wanted to press and I thought the lads were outstanding.
“I think 2-0 is the worst scoreline in football, because one goal can change anything.
“We looked comfortable.
“They caused us problems and they’ve got some good players in their forward line.
“The lads nailed the stuff that we’d worked on and deserved the win.
“Not enough is made of winning at this level and it’s really important if we’re to produce players for the first team, they need to know how to win games.
“In the first half, they did it with the ball and in the second half, they did it with their out of possession stuff, which was pleasing.”
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