Crystal Palace’s exciting U18s need ‘a couple more years’ to develop, insists Roy Hodgson
BY SAM SMITH
Crystal Palace’s exciting U18s require a few more years of development before they are thrust into first-team contention, Roy Hodgson has insisted.
The young Eagles are second in the U18 Premier League South Division but have a game in hand over first-placed Fulham who are a point ahead. However, a talented Aston Villa side, in fifth, have three matches in hand to make up four points over the Cottagers.
It is Palace’s first season at that level having gained academy category one status in the summer. Alongside the club’s success at U18 level, the U23s are fourth in the Premier League 2 division two table.
20-year-old left-back Reece Hannam – signed from West Ham in the summer – was a substitute against Fulham at the weekend. Tyrick Mitchell has made 18 senior appearances since his debut in July.
But Hodgson has urged for caution over the possibility of anyone from the U18s featuring for the first team in the near future.
Asked if any young prospect could help to drag down the average age of the first team, Hodgson said: “I think it might be something for the longer term. Obviously we have Tyrick in the same way we had Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
“We’ve got a young lad at the moment called Reece Hannam who’s done well in the U23 team and we’ve moved him up to train with us this week. But that of course is largely because both Nathaniel Clyne and Tyrick have been missing with relatively minor injuries.
“From what I understand – I see quite a bit of the U23 team – but I think the team that’s probably exciting people at the club a bit more is the U18 team. I think there are supposedly one or two really good talents there.
“At the moment, I would say our best hope might be to get a couple more years behind them and if they are as good as they seem to be, they could certainly be knocking on the door.
“But I fear if we want to really address the balance between youth and experience, it will have to be done through the transfer market.”
Hodgson has handed five debuts to academy graduates across his three-year tenure. That is the most of any Palace manager since Neil Warnock’s first spell between 2007-2010.
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