Darren Wassall believes that Derby County’s Under-23s have the ability to compete against the ‘very best’ as they get set for another big test against Leicester City in Premier League 2 – Division One on Friday night.
The Rams have enjoyed some superb results in recent months, the most recent being a stunning 5-1 demolition of West Ham United at the London Stadium last week.
Whilst results aren’t viewed as the most important component of a young player’s progression, Wassall admits that the performances shown by the academy this season are a true demonstration of the quality within the ranks.
Speaking to RamsTV prior to the meeting with the Foxes, he said: “It’s not the be all and end all of player development, but beating the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Wolfsburg and Spurs shows that we’ve got some very good players in our academy at all levels.
“You might get a one-off result where you do well against good opposition, but to do it on a consistent basis, as players from our Under-16s, Under-18s and Under-23s have done, shows that we’ve got good enough players here to compete with the very best.
“Nobody expected us to go to the London Stadium against Premier League opposition and score five goals, to score five anywhere away from home is a big achievement, so full credit goes to the players.”
It’s the second Midlands derby for the Under-23s this month, having lost 2-1 against an experienced Nottingham Forest side in the Premier League Cup, and Wassall is expecting another tough game.
He added: “They’ve had some great results, they’re always competitive, every time we play them we know what to expect.
“They’re physical, full of running and that will be no different at Pride Park on Friday.
“We’ve got nothing to fear, we’re in great knick and it’s ultimately all about us and how we perform on the night.”
Derby’s Academy Director also confirmed that there will be a heavy first team presence in the squad on Friday, with Jamie Hanson and Max Lowe joined by the returning Darren Bent and Mason Bennett.
