Southampton have already been burned in the case of Jimmy-Jay Morgan joining Chelsea and, keeping in mind the considerable sums they were willing to pay him to fend off interest (which is an open secret among team-mates) Southampton have, in some ways, made a rod for their own back. Incoming director of football Jason Wilcox is an admirer of both, with early signs suggesting he is keen for a hands-on influence in the academy. Money is unlikely to be the sticking point for either player, but showing there are first-team opportunities in these final two games may be instrumental in whether they decide to commit long-term. A bloated squad of 30 - second-biggest in the Premier League behind only Chelsea - has blocked any pathway, heightened by the feeling that Ralph Hasenhuttl and short-lived successor Nathan Jones would take little interest in the B team and the under-18s, which are viewed as the best age group in over a decade.Įducation, world experts and good manners - behind the scenes with Southampton's next generationĭoyle and Ballard are both on contracts that run until 2024 and there have been discussions with academy director Matt Hale (who will be leaving the club this summer) over their futures. They were hesitant to commit unless they saw a plan of how they could be integrated into the first team. With two games left in their 2022-23 campaign, relegation confirmed and an increasing feeling that the current 11-game winless run has led to some players, possibly subconsciously, checking out mentally, merging certain academy talents into the group is being considered by manager Ruben Selles.Įven though Selles is set to officially leave the club on June 30 and is therefore unlikely to benefit from the fruits of youth, what he decides to do with the two of their leading academy players - Kamari Doyle and Dom Ballard - could have broader ramifications for Southampton.Īs The Athletic has reported, players in the club’s academy have started to consider their futures, despite being offered new lucrative contracts. This, plainly, is not conducive to forging on-field partnerships or garnering consistency. Demonstrative of the absence of a tactical base and general framework, they have deployed eight different formations under three managers in that time. Southampton’s first team have used 32 players so far this season, which is the joint second-most in the Premier League. Success in youth football - particularly if it’s played outside of Premier League Division One - does not always correlate favourably with first-team football due to the gulf in physicality, intensity and overall competition. There are several caveats to consider when introducing a young player. It is not a convenient time, nor place, for some kid to make a Premier League debut. Southampton’s current fitfulness means conditions for a precocious talent to enter the fold are about as even and stable as a cliff face.
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