Manager Neil Harris has said that our youngsters will certainly get the chance to develop in the first team in our coming 201-516 season in League One but as part of promoting our own and letting them adjust, we need to be patient with them whilst they develop.
With Fred Onyedinma enjoying a good loan spell out with Wycombe last year, and Sid Nelson and Aiden O’Brien especially having their first team breakthrough years, we also saw the likes of Jack Powell, Alfie Pavey, Ben Thompson and Jamie Philpot make their introductions to first team life and start showing glimpses of what they will be capable of in he coming years.
Having taken the youngsters on our training camp to Portugal and given them, along with the more senior lads, a good fitness work out, Harris told the official site that he remained pleased and confident about the impact they could all make at first team level next year, but warned there will be dips as is natural for youngsters stepping up.
‘Last year Sid and Aiden played regularly and we all saw the attributes they had. There is a long way to go for them as there is all the younger players. The boys have the attributes that we believe in but they are nowhere near the finished article. We have to keep nurturing them and improving them all the time.’
With additional youngsters like Kris Twardek, Kyron Farrell and Mahlon Romeo all making the Portugal trip as well as Harris brings them more into the fold, our desire to create a production line from the Academy into the first team will be something that takes work and time and whilst those three may be the next three to really earn their caps in 2015-16, again the watchword is patience as they make the step up and adjust.
‘They have the attributes, which is why they are at the club and why we believe in them. We want these players to come through and develop and to form part of the group with the likes of Fred Onyedinma, Jamie Philpot, Alfie Pavey, Ben Thompson and players like that, but it does take time.’
Vital Millwall on:
Vital Millwall on:
Harris – Be Patient With Youngsters
