After an impressive 2017 for Derby County’s Academy and particularly his Under-23s, Darren Wassall has been busy setting goals for the year ahead.
Last year saw five graduates make their first team bow, whilst Wassall’s side built on avoiding relegation from Premier League 2 – Division One at the end of the 2016/17 season by securing themselves a midtable position by the start of 2018.
The Under-23s return to action away at Sunderland on Sunday, and Derby’s Academy Director has been speaking about the targets that he has set for the young players.
He told RamsTV: “It’s about our individual players improving. Our target for the end of the season is that we’ve got players in our academy that are challenging for first-team opportunities, whether that’s here or somewhere else.
“The more enquiries that we get from other clubs, we know that our targets are being met, so that’s what we want for 2018; as many successful players as possible.”
Sunderland are the only other second-tier club in the top division of Under-23s football, and Wassall is expecting a physical test when his side travel to the North East.
He said: “We know that it’s going to be tough, it always is against Sunderland, they’ll earn the right to play and they’re physical.
“We’re not expecting an easy passage up there, it’s going to be a really tough and tight game.”
The Black Cats currently sit in the relegation zone, whilst the Rams have exceeded expectations so far this season, beating the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the league.
But, as Wassall explains, although winning is crucial, there are also other key factors at this level.
“It’s important to win, you shouldn’t be a footballer if you don’t want to win, they need to have that winning mentality and we try to breed that here,” he said.
“But it’s not win as all costs. We try to develop the players and let them perform, that’s why we let them go out on loan and if it weakens the Under-23 team then so be it.
“We do it for the benefit of the individual, but when we go out to play, we want to win every game, because that’s what it’s like in the first team.
“Whether you like it or not, it’s a results business and the players need to understand that when they step over the white line, they play to win.”
