Rowett’s latest comments on youth will be music to ears for Derby fans

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Derby County currently have one of the oldest squads in the Championship.

Derby County boss Gary Rowett says he has high hopes for academy products Luke Thomas and Jayden Bogle and told the club’s official website that he expects the duo to feature regularly in the main squad next season.

Since arriving at the club at the back-end of last term, Rowett has spoken of his desire to build a young, hungry and energetic squad at Pride Park but transfers have somewhat contradicted those sentiments.

Derby have signed Joe Ledley, Tom Huddlestone, Curtis Davies and Cameron Jerome over the past ten months, bringing the average age of the squad up and no doubt the total staff wage bill too.

But Rowett has insisted heavy investment into the academy won’t go to waste, with the Derby boss assuring that two of the club’s top youth prospects will make the step up next season.

“Luke (Thomas) has been outstanding in the Under-23s for a player at 19 years of age and has scored and created goals,” Rowett told dcfc.co.uk.

“He’s doing what he has been doing for the Under-23s in training and he’s seen the fruits of his labour by making two first-team appearances. I’ve been really pleased with him and see him as a big part of next season.

“Jayden is a bit younger, but we see him in the same light as well. He has massive potential and while hasn’t made his first-team debut yet, he has been in and around the squad by training every day.”

Derby have over the years produced some top players from the academy, but since Will Hughes and Jeff Hendrick moved on to the Premier League, there has been a lack of players coming through.

The average age of the squad has caused a problem, and Derby fans in general are no doubt keener to see some of their own given a chance over ageing players on big wages arriving at Pride Park.

Thomas will certainly add creativity in the final third which has been lacking over the past couple of months, while Bogle is ideal for a wingback spot in Rowett’s new formation consisting with three at the back.

If the team aren’t winning or struggling to play an attractive style of football, at the very least the Rams supporters will take comfort from youth players coming through but that hasn’t been the case for the past 12 months.