MOST of us spent our work experience placements filing, sweeping floors or making tea, with little need to get bumped from pillar to post by burly foes.
But that is the prospect facing Alex Samizadeh who, it is expected, will be a far better prospect for his time on such a character-building stint at Chorley.
The young Iranian has impressed at under-18 level, so much so he has featured in the first team, but has struggled to have the same impact when stepping up to the u23s squad.
And assistant academy director David Lee is keen to see his progression at the National League North club, believing he will come through a much better-rounded player and better-equipped for the rough treatment routinely dished out to attackers.
“Alex is in a transitional period, he’s done well in the u18s but when he has moved up to the u23s it’s been a bit much for him,” Whites legend Lee told The Bolton News.
“We want him to sample a new level, deal with the physical side of the game and test himself against different opposition. Goals can mask how a forward is developing but playing against those robust centre-halves in that league will give him a different dimension. Playing academy football there is an emphasis on attractive play but that isn’t always realistic when you look ahead to first-team football, so this is a test for him and being down the road we can keep tabs on his progress at a club we trust.
“He has a lot to learn, such as his work rate out of possession, starting positions, alertness and awareness and he is being brought through gradually.”
The arrangement is to last for a month initially and different to regular loan deals the clubs are not limited in his movement, so he was able to play in Wednesday night’s FA Youth Cup defeat at Chester.
“He is a scholarship player, so can be recalled at any stage,” added Lee.
“He is at Chorley for a month initially and we’ll re-address it after that. It will work well from his and our perspective.”
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