INTRODUCING Premier League B teams into the English Football League (EFL) is not the best way of developing young players, says Karl Robinson.

The controversial issue has reared its head again today, with EFL chair Rick Parry pledging it is ‘absolutely not’ an option.

Last month, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reiterated his support for academy teams entering the pyramid, adding that it would be ‘best for English football’.

Robinson knows the value of EFL experience for young players, but suggested Premier League clubs could look at themselves instead of introducing B teams.

The U’s head coach said: “I’ve never been one to think that’s the correct way.

“At certain stages, Premier League clubs have tried to attach themselves with an EFL club (by sending multiple players there on loan).

“How about they just carry fewer players and send them out on loan, rather than stockpiling 30 to 40 players at 18, 19, 20?

“For me, there’s far too many players in the academy systems to be able to send the best ones out on loan. The ones that get left then play 23s football.”

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Robinson has a reputation for working with youngsters and stressed there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to developing them as players and people.

“Every player will have a different flight path,” he said.

“Some players need 23s football, because that’s best for their development right now, and some players need men’s football at 16.

“You have to protect them internally, but externally you have to put them in a difficult position.

“Resilience is something we don’t speak about enough.

“In the world we’re in we’re almost too nice and this industry’s not nice, unfortunately.

“There’s aspects of the game that will make it very difficult for you, but you’ve got to be able to cope with that.

“You’ve got to find a way of dealing with fans criticising you for your talent and your effort.

“You build that by going into an arena week-in, week-out and sometimes falling short.

“That’s not failure either, it’s a step in the direction of becoming a better person and a better footballer and you find that when you’re in the midst of a Football League season.”

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Parry is still pushing for the EFL to sell broadcast rights together with the Premier League and receive a 25 per cent share of the revenue.

The competition's chief suggested changes will be made to the Carabao Cup to deal with the revamped Champions League, which is set to increase to 36 teams from 2024.

Proposals for the competition to be scrapped were mooted in the 'Project Big Picture' plan, which Parry supported and was revealed a year ago today. 

But on B teams, the EFL chief told the PA news agency: “It is absolutely not something that our clubs have any enthusiasm for.

“It’s been tried – (former FA chair) Greg Dyke tried it. (Another former FA chair) Greg Clarke introduced it at the very start of (Project) Big Picture and I said, ‘that’s non-negotiable, it’s not happening’.

"Frankly, I don’t even see it being on the table. I’ve spoken quite a lot about fresh ideas, new thinking, not having preconceived ideas, but I’ve got a preconceived idea about B teams and that’s not within the boundaries.

“The strength of the EFL is that every one of our clubs sits at the heart of the community. Our clubs put almost as much emphasis on the community as they do on the first team and what happens on the pitch.

“This isn’t about B teams suddenly parachuting in because you cannot possibly replicate that, it’s just misunderstanding what the pyramid is.”