Kenny Jackett: Bright future for youth
Kenny Jackett admits Wolves' young stars have given him 'food for thought' as he fine-tunes his Championship squad ahead of the new season.
Several of Wolves' next band of youngsters to graduate from Compton Park impressed during the pre-season trip to Clairefontaine last week.
Strikers Donovan Wilson and Bright Enobakhare scored the winning goals in Wolves' two victories over FC Chambly and Paris FC, while attacking midfielder Connor Ronan showed glimpses of his burgeoning talent.
Declan Weeks, Aaron Hayden, Sylvain Deslandes, Jon Flatt and Harry Burgoyne also impressed during the week, in what was a very youthful Wolves squad.
And Jackett said the youngsters – all teenagers bar 20-year-old Flatt – had staked their claims.
"Some of the younger players obviously give food for thought and can compliment the group we have," he said. "Connor Ronan looks to be a very exciting player, so does Bright Enobakhare, so does Donovan Wilson.
"Early in the season there are good options and hopefully as those players progress I've got a good idea how they can fit into the first team."
Jackett has never been afraid to blood young academy players in Wolves' first XI, with the likes of Dominic Iorfa, Jack Price and Kortney Hause all playing key roles as the team narrowly missed out on promotion last season.
Had his thinking on whether the next crop can play a part changed since the start of Clairefontaine?
"It does definitely stakes their claim," Jackett said. "We want to give them chances, the big question is whether it's now or later on.
"If they are ready I'm certainly not frightened to put them in and they've done no harm at all.
"I wouldn't want to get too excited about playing over here, but certainly a lot of the players have shown enough to earn chances."
