Published: 05/08/2007 00:00 -
Updated: 18/01/2009 00:59
Dunstable cup victory leaves Blackwell 'embarrassed' at team's effort
Luton's Kevin Blackwell has launched a scathing attack on Hatters' current crop of youngsters.
The boss was in the stands to see a team of reserve and youth players beaten by their Southern League Midlands One neighbours, Dunstable Town, in the 35th Bedfordshire Premier Cup Final.
The Blues won 3-2 after extra time but Luton had been outplayed for most of the match and were fortunate to score a late equaliser in normal time through Elliot Osbourne-Ricketts' header to make it 1-1.
After the game Blackwell said: "That is the worst I've ever seen at professional level, it was thoroughly embarrassing.
"It is a disgrace, simple as that. There isn't one player who can come off and I can say anything positive about.
"It will not be tolerated at Luton Town Football Club.
"It's exactly why I've had to revamp the whole club because this is what's left and it's not good enough.
"No disrespect to Dunstable Town but many of them have to go back to work in the morning.
"It is disappointing for me as a manager when you see youngsters whohave been given the chance to shine and they fail."
Last week Blackwell sold last season's player of the year, 21-year-old Leon Barnett, and five of the club's seven summer signings are over 30 years old and on one-year contracts.
With few youngsters impressing, the manager was quick to insist that, 'It's definitely not shit or bust this season', in terms of promotion back to the Championship.
He added: "It's a case of building this football club from scratch and I think everybody knew I had to do that when I came here, Rome wasn't built in a day.
"We are building a four-year plan to get to the new stadium, alongside that there's a new youth policy and that's why Bob Cursan was made the new youth development director this week."
After a pre-season where Luton have had games cancelled while on tour in Cyprus and Norway Blackwell resisted the chance to field any of his new signings against Dunstable, saying: "The lads have done terrifically well. We're just disappointed that we've missed one or two games but overall it's been a good preseason.
"We've brought in seven new players and that's a big turnaround. Time is really of the essence at the moment, giving them time to bed in and get used to new surroundings and new players.
"You normally like to only make two or three changes, seven is a lot but I think they're good players." Luton begin their League One campaign at home to Hartlepool on Saturday.
RELATED ARTICLE Silverware goes begging in cup thriller
Luton's Kevin Blackwell has launched a scathing attack on Hatters' current crop of youngsters.
The boss was in the stands to see a team of reserve and youth players beaten by their Southern League Midlands One neighbours, Dunstable Town, in the 35th Bedfordshire Premier Cup Final.
The Blues won 3-2 after extra time but Luton had been outplayed for most of the match and were fortunate to score a late equaliser in normal time through Elliot Osbourne-Ricketts' header to make it 1-1.
"It is a disgrace, simple as that. There isn't one player who can come off and I can say anything positive about.
"It will not be tolerated at Luton Town Football Club.
"It's exactly why I've had to revamp the whole club because this is what's left and it's not good enough.
"No disrespect to Dunstable Town but many of them have to go back to work in the morning.
"It is disappointing for me as a manager when you see youngsters whohave been given the chance to shine and they fail."
Last week Blackwell sold last season's player of the year, 21-year-old Leon Barnett, and five of the club's seven summer signings are over 30 years old and on one-year contracts.
With few youngsters impressing, the manager was quick to insist that, 'It's definitely not shit or bust this season', in terms of promotion back to the Championship.
He added: "It's a case of building this football club from scratch and I think everybody knew I had to do that when I came here, Rome wasn't built in a day.
"We are building a four-year plan to get to the new stadium, alongside that there's a new youth policy and that's why Bob Cursan was made the new youth development director this week."
After a pre-season where Luton have had games cancelled while on tour in Cyprus and Norway Blackwell resisted the chance to field any of his new signings against Dunstable, saying: "The lads have done terrifically well. We're just disappointed that we've missed one or two games but overall it's been a good preseason.
"We've brought in seven new players and that's a big turnaround. Time is really of the essence at the moment, giving them time to bed in and get used to new surroundings and new players.
"You normally like to only make two or three changes, seven is a lot but I think they're good players." Luton begin their League One campaign at home to Hartlepool on Saturday.
RELATED ARTICLE Silverware goes begging in cup thriller
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