The Nottingham Forest Academy is one thing that frequently brings together the club’s ever-divergent fan base. Over the years, a lot of players have risen through the ranks, making Forest millions or becoming first-team stars. In some instances, both!
This season is promising to be another great one for the Forest academy. Josh Powell spent preseason with the team at left-back, Joe Gardner earned his first-team debut in the FA Cup, and Ryan Yates is currently the club captain.
It was always unclear how the academy would function without Gary Brazil. The hierarchy allowed the very popular figure to run down his contract, with Craig Mulholland, formerly of the Rangers, now in charge.
Last night, the Forest B-Team played Sheffield United in the Premier League Cup quarter-finals. The Reds had done wonderfully in this competition thus far, and the game at Bramall Lane provided an excellent opportunity to play in a decent stadium.
Ateef Konate impresses as Nottingham Forest reach the semi-finals.
This was a performance to be proud of for the Forest youth. Under the cautious eye of head coach Warren Joyce, the Reds won this one 3-2, with Ateef Konate scoring twice despite coming in at halftime.
It was the type of performance that will have fans questioning why Konate hasn’t played more with the first team. However, this can be difficult, especially with Forest now competing in the Premier League.
Konate was unexpectedly kept on the bench for this game. However, shortly after halftime, he entered the game and promptly found himself among the scoring. He added a second two minutes later, capping off a remarkable night for the kid.
Sheffield United struggled to maintain their discipline, much as they did when the two first-team teams faced in the play-offs in 2021/22. Owen Hampson was sent off late in the game, and Forest finished with a man advantage.
The Reds missed a trick with Konate this season.
It’s unclear why Forest decided not to loan out Konate for the 2023/24 season. He has outgrown B-Team football a little bit, and having the opportunity to accomplish what Dale Taylor did, for example, could have been quite beneficial.
Konate is 23 years old currently and should be playing men’s football. He has only made one first-team appearance to date, coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 victory over Barnsley during the promotion-winning campaign of 2021/22.
Since signing with Le Havre, the French player has quietly worked his way up the ranks. He did have a short loan with Oxford United last season, but it didn’t work out, and their manager at the time, Liam Manning, sent him back.
Konate will be out of contract at Forest this summer. As a result, he may now be playing to put himself in the shop window, and it will be interesting to see whether any EFL clubs take a chance on him next season.
