Wed 10 Jun
Time to read: 3mins
Lee Glover says he is ‘excited’ by the potential of the players that will be linking up with his Under 21s squad for the 2015/16 season.
Lee Glover says he is ‘excited’ by the potential of the players that will be linking up with his Under 21s squad for the 2015/16 season.
Whilst Callum Guy was a consistent figure in the Rams’ Development side and Under 18s group last season, he will link up with Glover’s side on a permanent basis for the upcoming season after penning his first professional contract in February.
Offrande Zanzala also signed his first professional deal and will join Guy alongside Charles Vernam and Jack Tuite by stepping up to the Under 21 squad.
Kellan Gordon and Ethan Wassall also stepped up from Darren Wassall’s Under 18s side towards the end of the season and more players are expected to also link up with Glover and his side during the forthcoming pre-season.
Speaking to Rams Player, Derby's Senior Professional Development Coach said: “We have seen Offrande (Zanzala) develop in the last year and he is a very exciting prospect.
“Charles Vernam is in the same boat and is another player that has got a lot of potential.
“Callum Guy now, because he has been with the group for pretty much the entire season, is being challenged to push on to another level.
“He has got to be one of the main players now, hit the ground running and really establish himself.
“With that, there are also the players that we had for a while last year. It’s exciting and we will promote the players again from the scholars, the second year scholars, when we feel the need.
“Ethan Wassall has played, as has Kellan Gordon, and there is a group there which we are going to watch develop over pre-season with the Under 21s.”
Inevitably, at this time of the year, players leave the club and Josh Lelan, Rhys Sharpe, Luke Hendrie and Ross Etheridge have all been released at the end of their contracts.
Glover, though, firmly believes that all four players have something to offer in football and as part of their exit strategy, the club have helping all four in their next career move.
Lelan and Sharpe have already found new homes, signing for Northampton Town and Notts County respectively.
He added: “This time of the year, unfortunately, means that ultimately some players will leave to take a different career path.
“Ross Etheridge has been with the club for a long time; he has had several successful loanspells and will now be looking at the next step to further his career.
“Josh Lelan and Rhys Sharpe have been in the same boat and are fixed up already.
“Luke Hendrie has played a lot of games for us this season and has had a great season. All four of these players go with our best wishes and I firmly believe that they have got something to offer in the game.
“They will all get a career somewhere in the game, but at this moment in time with the people we have got coming through, we thought it would be the best for their careers if they went and looked elsewhere.
“We will help them with that. They have been fantastic players for the club and we wish them all the best.
“We will be trying to help them locate another club elsewhere, we will arrange trials, but some may decide to go into further education and go and do scholarships in America.
“We want to try and be different from other clubs and try and take a holistic approach with those players that are being released. We have got an exit strategy and we try and look after them as much as we can and get them somewhere else where they want to be.”
