Forest check on Gunners trio

City Ground trial for teenagers

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 2nd October 2008

Forest check on Gunners trio

Calderwood: Looking for fresh faces

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Nottingham Forest have handed trials to three youngsters off the Arsenal production line of talent.

Defensive midfielder James Dunne, Abu Ogogo and Paul Rodger make up the trio, with all three still in their teens

They all featured for the Reds' reserve side in a 2-1 win against Shrewsbury on Wednesday, making a positive impression on the club's coaching staff.

Forest boss Colin Calderwood is keen to bring in fresh faces after seeing his side slump to the bottom of the Championship after a dismal start to the season.

Careers

He revealed that Arsenal are willing to part with the trio and the Reds will be doing all they can to push through permanent deals.

"They are young players who they (Arsenal) are trying to move on and get careers at another club, because they believe they are good enough for that," Calderwood told the Nottingham Evening Post.

Ogogo is an attacking full-back who starred for the Arsenal second string last season, while Rodgers is an athletic defender capable of filling in at full-back or centre-half.

Dunne is a reliable anchorman who can provide cover to the back four, allowing others to push forward.

Connection

Calderwood now hopes the relationship between the Reds and their Premier League counterparts could see more stars on their way to the City Ground in the future.

"The pleasing thing is that we are one of the clubs that Arsenal have called and offered players to," he said.

"We have a nice relationship we are starting to build with them. The connection with Liam Brady is what is taking us to Ireland (for a practice game) next week.

"This is a nice little route for us to be able to take for the future, if we can continue to have a relationship with them.

"We have already spoken to them about taking players on loan from them later on."