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Balance of youth and experience key for Ilkeston Town boss Ian Deakin
By Mark Duffy 

The Robins are again looking set to challenge in the top third of the NPL Premier Division this campaign, having finished ten points off the play-off places last time out.
Helping them do so are players including former Newcastle United, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest star James Perch, another ex-Mansfield man in Lindon Meikle, and Colin Daniel, who as well as also featuring for Mansfield enjoyed a long career in the Football League with the likes of Macclesfield and Burton.
But with several players aged 21 or under in their ranks too, including top scorer Tom Cursons, Deakin is well aware that the right blend is key to success.
He said: “I think it’s the case at any club really, that you need the wiser heads in there to help guide the younger lads during more challenging times, just as much as the younger lads can be the game changers.
"You always want to give as many youngsters as you can the opportunity to develop and progress, but you need balance.
"With those more experienced players in there, you get the calmer heads at important times. Perhaps they’re more used to playing in front of big crowds, so when we are in that situation they can get around the younger lads and help them relax and relieve the pressure.
"Some of the younger players have it instilled in them too, perhaps if they’ve come from professional environments in the past, but it’s about them having the confidence and that can be aided by those older heads around them.”
Striker Cursons has been a revelation since arriving from Deakin’s old club Long Eaton, having scored 22 goals in 30 games, reportedly attracting attention from a host of professional clubs in the process.And Deakin says that whilst it’s inevitable that one day he will lose his star man, it’s something of which he’ll be proud.
He said: “He’s contracted to us and is happy here – we put our faith in him as he couldn’t get into Gainsborough’s side before came here, and he’s been superb.
"If the right club comes in for him, I’ll drive him there myself. He deserves that chance. With being heavily involved in the recruitment side of things at Mansfield Town, it’s automatic for me to want to help young players along the way and give them a second chance. It’s very rewarding for me.
"Your success can be measured by players doing so well and progressing higher.
"Tom Cursons is a great example. It’s inevitable he’ll go on to bigger and better things.”
As for how the season is going so far, Deakin has been satisfied with the progress being made.
An FA Cup defeat to Hereford FC last week, having taken the National League North side to a replay, provided a good gauge as to how far Ilkeston have come in his tenure, and how they might cope if they do manage to get promoted and keep much of the current squad together.
Deakin said: “We’ve done pretty well. We’d have liked to have turned some of the draws into wins, plus we’ve had a few injuries which I never like to use as an excuse, but those kind of things do impact you if you’re patching things up.
"It’s a brutal schedule at the start of the season and we’ve had some tough games, but we’re playing well and creating lots of chances.”Ilkeston drew 1-1 at Hereford in the first FA Cup tie but then lost 1-0 at the Microlise NMG in the replay, a game Deakin missed for personal reasons but that he believes his side deserved more from. He said: “I’ve watched it back and their manager was very complimentary in his post-match interview as he knew we’d taken them all the way twice and with respect to Hereford I think we should have won twice.
"We were camped in their half for much of Tuesday’s game but didn’t take our chances."But it’ll come – our young players are developing and we’re becoming a stronger side all the time.”
Ilkeston’s ambitions are inevitably to get promotion to the National League North and early indications show they’ll at least be in the mix for a top five spot come April, but Deakin knows it’s a tough league to get out of.
He said: “We have to have realistic targets but we want to aim high – there’s no point in being in football if you don’t want to impact at the top end.
"It’s a tough league. Some clubs’ finances are double, triple, quadruple ours. We have a smallish budget but have been made into a sustainable club and like to invest in young players.
"We retained a lot of players from last year which was good, and have players like Harvey Kirby-Moore come in this year who is 19 and has done really well.
"We’d love to have a side that can have some longevity – developing together, staying together and then potentially playing for us at a higher level together.
"It’s about building a strong platform and we’re doing that. We have a great facility and fanbase and lots of volunteers who work tirelessly off the pitch.
"It’s then up to me and my coaching staff to get the best out of the players we’ve got – I continue to drive my own standards and try to ensure that’s reflected in the players.”


 

Last edited by Matchman (25/9/2024 2:20 PM)