SAINTS boss Alan Pardew believes some of the club’s youngsters have been brought through the ranks too quickly.
Pardew has now had over a week to bed into his new job and get a feel for the squad as a whole.
One problem he has encountered is what he perceives as an over-reliance on players who are not yet ready for first-team action.
Pardew admitted his hand was being forced in terms of using them at the moment, due to the sheer lack of numbers in the squad.
However, he wants to see more experienced players in the first team, in order to give the youngsters the chance to learn and improve in the reserves before making the step up.
Pardew said the youngest members of the squad still needed time to grow, both in body and mind, before being thrown into regular first team action.
“At the moment I still feel, as I’ve said before, some of the academy players, in my view, have been accelerated just a little bit too quickly,” he said.
“They’ve got a bit more growing to do in their bodies and in their minds and their understanding of the game.
“We’re still having to play and use those players when I think we should have stronger, more experienced, players for them to bide time in the reserves and get themselves ready, so that when they do come back they can sustain a position and give me consistent seven or eights out of ten.”
( Snippets from Daily Echo )
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