Scott Marshall says he is not planning to use his position as caretaker manager to promote some of his successful Under-23 side.
Marshall guided his young Royals on an impressive 14-match unbeaten streak before stepping up to replace Paul Clement last week and they sit top of their league table.
Following good spells with the academy, Andy Rinomhota and Danny Loader have both broken into the first team ranks in recent weeks, racking up nine starts between them since the beginning of November.
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Reading slipped back into the Championship relegation zone with a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield United last weekend and face a huge clash with fellow strugglers Rotherham this Saturday (3pm), but instead of drafting in any more in-form talented youngsters, Marshall is keen to get the best out of his experienced first team squad.
“I’m not really looking at it like that at all,” said the interim boss.
“I’m trying to look at everybody as a group and certainly everybody’s got to pull together.
“If some of the young guys are chasing on then that’s fantastic. That was always the challenge for them at the beginning of the season and always should be.
“But we’ve got some good pros around the club and around the first team group. We’re all looking to focus on that.
“I’m not turning my back on anybody in the group, that’s for sure.
“We’re trying to win a game of football, I’ve not got enough time to think of any individual’s progress. We all have to be focussed together and I’ll try and pick a group for the weekend that’s going to get a win.”
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One youngster who could make his debut over the next few weeks is Gabriel Osho.
The centre-back, 20, returned from his loan spell at non-league Aldershot Town last week and has been training with the first team to help cover the absences of injured trio Liam Moore (calf), Paul McShane (knee) and John O’Shea (hamstring).
Tom McIntyre has provided the defensive cover on the bench for the past two games and Marshall says Osho is adding to the competition.
“There’s obviously some injuries around the centre-back positions,” said Marshall.
“Gabe’s around it and working in the group at the moment.
“Josh (Barrett) is a slightly different situation (having also returned from a loan at Aldershot) but certainly they’re both players that we rate very highly and we’re here to support them in their development.”
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