Beadle Praises Trio Of Youngsters

Jamie Bird

The three young players Jamie Bird, Adam Hockey and Harry Franklin have impressed Hereford's manager in pre-season so far, and Pete Beadle was quick to praise them after last night's friendly against Forest Green Rovers.

Pete Beadle said that they're players for the future and 20-year-old Bird is still a baby.

"Jamie's done great, Jamie's done really well in pre-season and we've been really pleased with him," Beadle said.

"We're asking him to improve all the time, asking him to adapt his game to the level we're at and we're asking him to mature a little bit. He's done ever so well tonight again, but there's little things when he's a little bit sloppy, gives the ball away or he has a funny few minutes when he shoots out the ground. 

Adam Hockey

"He just needs to compose himself a little bit more, but like [Callum] Sainty, like [Harry] Franklin and like [Adam] Hockey who's come in, they're players for the future. They're players that we can maybe build our next couple of seasons on so he's still learning and he's only 20 years of age - he's only a baby really!"

"He's got some fantastic potential, he's got some great ability and we hope he keeps doing what he's been doing. He's had a good pre-season and he's pushing hard for a starting spot, but it's going to be tough because there's some good players in this group."

Adam Hockey ended last season with West Midlands (Regional) League side Hereford Lads Club, but might find himself in the team for the league opener on August 4.

"What we saw tonight [Wednesday] when he knocked the ball through the two sets of defenders and ran right past like the weren't even there, that's what we've seen," Beadle added.

"That's going to take time and people are going to get wise to it, but at 17 years of age he's shown a maturity above his years in his game and the way he plays. We're looking forward to seeing him develop and progress this season.

Dara O'Shea

"With the injuries we've got, who knows, he might find himself in that starting 16 on the first day of the season."

Meanwhile, Beadle has ruled out a return for West Bromwich Albion loanee Dara O'Shea, saying it's likely he'll go to a club higher up.

"I think they [WBA] will be looking for something maybe a league higher.

"The boy we've spoken to who's in tonight is a centre-half, but he's from a different club. Hopefully that'll all go through and he'll be available for Saturday."

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