Ruth: Recovery key during gruelling run of fixtures

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MU21s head coach reflects on defeat to Luton - one of five away games in a row for his players.

Luke Nicoli

2025-10-29T11:30+00:00

Shannon Ruth felt his team learned some valuable lessons in defeat to Luton on Tuesday. 📷Paul Hazlewood.

Under-21 head coach Shannon Ruth was pleased with the application of his side, if not the scoreline, following last night’s 3-1 Vertu Trophy defeat at Luton Town.

The result eliminated the young Seagulls from the competition but facing a strong Hatters side that fielded a number of players with first-team experience, Ruth took positives from his side’s performance.

“It’s tough to take because from an effort perspective we gave everything,” he said. “The turnaround in games is tight at the moment, and we were missing eight players who had featured in previous matches, but I thought the players took on board all the information we gave them really well.

“In terms of this season’s competition, there’s probably no tougher opponent for us than Luton but I thought the players embraced that challenge, in front of a really good turnout from the fans.

“In the first half we switched off twice and they were two times Luton scored, so it could have been 0-0 going in at the break and the game then feels different – that was an important lesson for us.

“I also felt we should have hurt Luton more. We got into some promising situations but didn’t take advantage, whereas the opposition were very decisive in the key moments. With my coach’s hat on, I was happy with the level of performance but we still want to win these games as that’s also an important part of our development.”

Albion finish their Vertu Trophy campaign next Wednesday with a trip to Cambridge United and while disappointed not to have progressed from the group, Ruth feels such fixtures against EFL opposition are a key part of the U21s’ games programme.

“It gives them the flavour of hopefully what’s to come,” he added. “The intensity and physicality is different to a PL2 game and you can’t catch your breath as the ball is never still for too long.

Zane Albarus ran 14km during Albion MU21s defeat at Kenilworth Road. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

“Zane Albarus, for example, ran nearly 14k last night so it shows how dynamic and how physical Luton were, but it gives our players a flavour of the level of performance they have to hit which PL2 doesn’t demand from them. We want them to face the toughest opposition because, ultimately, we want to help the players grow.”

After consecutive away fixtures against Truro, Ipswich Town and the Hatters, the side travel north again at the weekend to face Leeds United before completing a tough fortnight of games at the Abbey Stadium on 5 November.

“In the ten years I’ve been involved in U21s football I’ve never seen a set of fixtures this gruelling,” Ruth admitted. “It’s a run of games that the players haven’t been involved in before but what it does is allow us to highlight the recovery that’s needed.

“We are extremely lucky to have one of the best training grounds in the country, possibly the world, so we have the facilities to give our players the best possible chance of recovery. Off the pitch these scenarios are teaching them about being professional and the choices they have to make to be able to perform to the best of their ability when it comes to the next matchday.”