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Neil Lennon wants to welcome more homegrown players into his first-team squad next season.
The Wanderers boss admits the club’s financial circumstances mean extra pressure to bring younger players through from the academy – but has been delighted by the impact made by Josh Vela, Tom Walker, Zach Clough and others in the last few months.
Both Vela and Clough were included in a list published by The Times newspaper detailing the best seven young players plying their trade outside the Premier League.
And Lennon believes there is more where they came from.
“We have put a big investment into the academy and it is important we get results,” he told The Bolton News. “It doesn't always work that way. But all of a sudden we have got three in the first-team squad and hoping a few more bubbling under, coming through in the next year or so.”
Development squad boss Iain Brunskill, who has worked within academies at Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool, has taken a leading role in recruiting younger players from outside the club in recent months.
Jordan Lussey has been brought in from Liverpool on loan and is expected to make his move permanent in the summer. It is a similar situation for Slovenian defender Matija Boben, who has also been with the club on a youth loan from NK Gorica.
Between polishing up talent from elsewhere and manufacturing his own homespun stars, Lennon expects Brunskill to play a major part in the future.
“We’re hoping Iain will be able to find a nugget here and there and be able to shine them up,” he said. “It’s important that we carry on looking to create our own players too.”
Lennon has hinted at a couple of changes at the academy over the summer as he looks to get his feet truly under the table at Wanderers – but insists any alterations he makes will not have a massive impact on a system which is currently working well.
“We will look to tweak the investment in terms of investment but that is a decision that will be made over the next few weeks. It won't affect anybody put it that way,” he added.
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The Wanderers boss admits the club’s financial circumstances mean extra pressure to bring younger players through from the academy – but has been delighted by the impact made by Josh Vela, Tom Walker, Zach Clough and others in the last few months.
Both Vela and Clough were included in a list published by The Times newspaper detailing the best seven young players plying their trade outside the Premier League.
And Lennon believes there is more where they came from.
“We have put a big investment into the academy and it is important we get results,” he told The Bolton News. “It doesn't always work that way. But all of a sudden we have got three in the first-team squad and hoping a few more bubbling under, coming through in the next year or so.”
Development squad boss Iain Brunskill, who has worked within academies at Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool, has taken a leading role in recruiting younger players from outside the club in recent months.
Jordan Lussey has been brought in from Liverpool on loan and is expected to make his move permanent in the summer. It is a similar situation for Slovenian defender Matija Boben, who has also been with the club on a youth loan from NK Gorica.
Between polishing up talent from elsewhere and manufacturing his own homespun stars, Lennon expects Brunskill to play a major part in the future.
“We’re hoping Iain will be able to find a nugget here and there and be able to shine them up,” he said. “It’s important that we carry on looking to create our own players too.”
Lennon has hinted at a couple of changes at the academy over the summer as he looks to get his feet truly under the table at Wanderers – but insists any alterations he makes will not have a massive impact on a system which is currently working well.
“We will look to tweak the investment in terms of investment but that is a decision that will be made over the next few weeks. It won't affect anybody put it that way,” he added.
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