Hull City’s Under-21s came back from 2-0 down in their last match, helped by some of Jakirovic’s first team squad
Conor Sellars has praised the impact the four Hull City first team players who inspired the Under-21s to a comeback victory over Coventry City on Tuedsay.
The club’s Lead Professional Development Phase Coach was delighted to see his team score three second half goals to overturn a 2-0 half-time deficit.
They did so with ten men after Ramell Carter was shown a second yellow card – and away from home at the Sky Blues’ CBS Arena.
Two goals in quick succession from Sammy Henia-Kamau and Hugh Parker saw the visitors level before Darko Gyabi hit a late winner.
The former Leeds midfielder was joined in the squad by Akin Famewo, Brandon Williams and Cody Drameh – with the latter playing a particularly key role.
Drameh, who was one of three players hauled off at half time of the draw with Preston North End, is battling for more regular game-time having been an unused substitute against Sheffield United.
However, he went the right way about catching Sergej Jakirovic’s eye with two assists in six minutes, crossing for Henia-Kamau to score and then setting up Parker’s equaliser.
Sellars admitted it can be hard integrating first team players – and signled out Drameh for special mention.
“We have to help the first team, and there’s quite a lot of players in there who’ve probably not had the game time and we’re here to support the first team’s needs.
“So if they want players in, we have to accommodate and we do change our style for the first team, so it replicates more than what they do, so that the first team can have a look at them and make sure they’re ticking the boxes that they need to.
“It is hard, I think you put what, 40% of your outfield players together who’ve not played with each other in games and first half probably evidence of that.
“Then second half, they go ‘You know what? I don’t like this feeling and we’re going to change it’. So it was really nice.
“I thought Cody was brilliant down the right hand side, and I think he got two assists in the end, all the lads worked really hard and I’m really proud of the second half performance of the first team players.
“It’s one moment in football where they have to be selfish in terms of getting the most out of the game for themselves and their careers.
“It’s not for me, it’s not for any of us, it’s for them, for their families, so that when they get the opportunities in the first team or another club in the future, who knows? They’re going to be more ready.
“I think what we saw first half to second half, I felt like the lads just took it to a whole new level.
“You could hear the noise from the side, you could see them clapping stuff, cheering stuff, and being more together.
“It’s brilliant for the lads in the 21s and 18s who are playing with us to kind of see what a Championship player looks like.
“I said to the first team lads before the game ‘Set a really good example of what it looks to be a current championship player’ And I think second half they definitely did that.”
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