Middlesbrough v Sheffield United: Boro youngsters not ready for Championship examination, says Chris Wilder

Boro’s 1-0 defeat to Barnsley was technically a first-team fixture but the opening round of the League Cup is not treated that way, as shown by team-sheets up and down the country. The Reds were a case in point, handing a debut to 16-year-old striker Fabio Jalo.

Wilder was not hiding from the fact tomorrow’s Championship game at home to Sheffield United is “the main event” – how could he? Forget the emotional element to taking on the club he served as supporter, ball-boy, player and manager, it is a game between two clubs who will expect to be promotion contenders.

Most clubs have their traditions, and Middlesbrough’s centre on developing talent.

From Wilf Mannion in the 1930s to Brian Clough in the 50s, David Mills, David Armstrong and Craig Johnston in the 70s, the youngsters that brought Boro out of the ashes into Division One in the late 1980s and the 2004 Youth Cup winners to current players such as Dael Fry, Boro’s youth set-up has long been a source of pride.

Liam Roberts, Sonny Finch, Hayden Hackney, Caolan Boyd-Munce, Joe Gibson, Bryant Bilongo, Daniel Dodds and Isaac Fletcher all played in midweek – impressively so in some cases.

But Wilder insists they have a lot to learn before they can be part of his Championship group.

“The young boys won’t be part of the first-team squad,” he said. “The likes of Finch, Fletcher, Hackney, Gibson, Caolan Boyd-Munce, Dodds, Bilongo – you’re talking Championship football, they need to go and learn.

“Some will stay in to learn with us but some need the hurly burly and exposure of League One and League Two football for their development.

“I’ve said what we’re looking to get in (he has kept the number four, five, nine, ten and 11 shirts free for signings) and I’m confident we will but if we don’t we’ll assess off the back of that.

“You could sense and feel a bit of a buzz when Finchy and a couple of the young boys got on the ball and Bilongo and Dodds came on and went charging through. They (the fans) know what they like and they like to see academy boys come through so it’s a real plus point.”

Finch, a 17-year-old midfielder who was one of four debutants along with Roberts and substitutes Dodds and Bilongo, is a case in point.

“He’s not even ready for loan football,” argued Wilder. “He’s working with the first team and it’s beneficial for some of the young players to be with us instead of going out (on loan).

“We put £3.5m-£4m into the academy and we’ve done that for quite a lot of years and got the benefits of it through developing and bringing players through. We’ll continue doing that.

“In developing players sometimes you have to look a little bit deeper than a result.

“We’ve done that fabulously before I came and since I walked through the door we’ve worked with Tav (Marcus Tavenier) and (Isaiah) Jones.

“The likes of Finch are going to be good players. I’m not saying all those players are going to play in the first team at Middlesbrough (in the league) but there’s a long list that have and I would love to keep working with young players.

“There’s a structure and a style about how we play so we are teachers and coaches as well.”

With the exception of the win, Wilder felt he got most of what he needed out of Wednesday, particularly with tomorrow’s game in mind.

“We were looking for Paddy (McNair) to do 60 minutes, Chuba (Akpom) to do half an hour, Marcus (Forss) to do half an hour because we were working with conditioners and sports scientists to make sure that we’re ready for the main event – which it is, let’s not beat about the bush,” he explained.

Wednesday’s big disappointment was that not for the first time under Wilder, Boro lacked ruthlessness in front of goal and they will need to find that if they are to get their first league win of the season. That Wilder still wants two more strikers after signing USA international Matthew Hoppe this week speaks volumes.