Bradford City boys stick to culture as graduate duo inspire

And he praised his players for not shying away from their high-risk pressing and passing philosophy in their 3-0 win, while also admitting the progress of homegrown talent Bobby Pointon into the first team acts as an inspiration to the 15 players who downed Bradford (Park Avenue) and the rest of the club’s youth prospects.

Speaking to the T&A after full-time at Horsfall, Maslak said: “We use players like Bobby as examples, not just for the lads like tonight in the PDP phase, but all down the academy.

“The more players we can get into situations like Bobby, the more those in the academy see it’s an opportunity they could have if they do the right things, like continuing to showcase the culture and identity we teach them.

“A lot of the players in the PDP phase are close with Bobby and speak to him.

“He’s a really good person and has time for these lads, and it’s inspirational to see someone like Bobby showcasing his talents in the first-team environment.”

Bobby Pointon got his first run out of the season at Chorley earlier this month, and big things are expected of him in the first team this season. (Image: Max Lomas.)

Harry Ibbotson looks like being the next one to follow in Pointon’s footsteps, with Graham Alexander taking the young striker out to the first-team training camp in Austria.

A proud Maslak said: “Harry was with us in the academy last season and this is a big opportunity for him now.

“He can put himself in front of the gaffer and it just exposes him to training alongside first-team players and seeing what their habits, mentality and standards are at that level.

“Harry’s got a great character and has been great at buying into the academy’s culture, so hopefully he takes everything on board in Austria.

“It’d be great to see him grasp his chance out there, and impress the first-team players and the gaffer.”

Tuesday night was not really about Pointon or Ibbotson though, rather the 15 teenagers, all of whom showed real promise, who reclaimed the Tom Banks Memorial Trophy from an Avenue side who were not far off full-strength.

Though the 3-0 win was a welcome bonus, Maslak was most proud of the bravery his young charges showed on and off the ball.

He said: “Results breed confidence, but for us the focus in these games is on individual performances and showing the identity on a matchday that we want to work on as a team throughout the week.

“We want to see it come out in games so it’s clear what we’ve been working on in training to those watching.

“It also allows players to see the end product that can come about from what we’ve worked on.”

Forwards Kieron Mboma (above) and Bilal Hussain began the press from the front on Tuesday night. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Drilling down into the specifics of how City’s youngsters played at Horsfall, Maslak said: “We’re set up to go and press teams, that’s our identity.

“The more we can get it right, the more we can dominate the ball, which is how we want to play.

“They’re not always going to get it right, which was the case tonight, because they’re all still young and still learning.

“If they don’t get it right with the press, then they’ll run back and try and retrieve it that way, that’s the behaviour and culture we’re working on every day.”