First-team training is aiding Wolves academy aces
Caretaker boss Mark Kennedy says his under-23 side are benefiting from training with Wolves’ first team as they prepare to host Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
Wolves’ youngsters are hosting the French side at Molineux in their first Premier League International Cup campaign.
And as they follow in the European footsteps of Nuno Espirito Santo’s first team, Kennedy believes his young squad are reaping the rewards of sharing the same training pitch at Compton Park.
He said: “It is amazing because they get to witness first hand how those players carry themselves, train, what they do to get to those levels.
“The preparation, when they are on the pitch, how to behave off the pitch, the continuation of the work that goes on once you step off the pitch to be an elite player – the mindset. They get to experience that and live it on a daily basis.
“Because of the way the club works and the connection between the first team and academy, when they go and train with the first team, you would hope they won’t get stage fright because they interact with these players on a daily basis.
“Maybe through having breakfast together or passing each other in the corridor, using the gym and even playing head tennis with these guys.
“It is really good they have that, but there is a fantastic balance there. We get changed in one part of the building and the first team change at the other end.
“It is the part of knowing that ‘I train here every day, but I want to be down there’.
“It is brilliant that they see the connection, it is brilliant that they get the reaction and then they can see ‘I’m in this end of the building at the minute, but the holy grail is at the other end. What do I need to do to get there? I walk past (Adama) Traore and Conor Coady everyday, but how do I get in that dressing room. What do I need to do to get into that dressing room?’ They get to experience that and I think it is a very healthy environment.”
Nuno handed debuts to Chem Campbell, Dion Sanderson and Terry Taylor in the 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Villa last month.
And Kennedy, who has been in temporary charge of the under-23 side since October after Rob Edwards’ departure, is pleased to see that pathway.
He said: “The manager (Nuno) and (first-team) staff have shown that if they feel you are good enough and ready they will put you in.
“They get to see the players a lot day in-day out because our players get a chance to train with them every day.
“It is great to see that because it does not happen at other clubs.
“There are other academies that are connected by name, but maybe train on different sites so there is not a link between the first team and the academy.
“That is something very impressive that Wolves do because there is a heavy link from the academy through to the first team. We get to see everyday.”
Meanwhile, Wolves’ youngsters will face Salford in the next round of the EFL Trophy.
“We get to see everyday that there is a heavy link between the relationships and connections between the first team and academy.”
