It’s been a strange week for the Under-23s.
Four of the senior players (Charles Vernam, Emil Riis Jakobsen, Offrande Zanzala and Callum Guy) in the dressing room have departed to undertake loan spells in the EFL until the end of the season.
That’s in addition to Max Lowe heading out on loan too, but whilst that, perhaps, represents a bit of a hit for Darren Wassall’s squad, in terms of the players’ development, for both those out on loan and those remaining with the club, the next five months will be crucial.
“It’s been a little bit drastic,” Lyons told RamsTV. “We had 11 players on Friday, nine the day before that, and this is something we speak about a lot, but the players have got to do it for themselves.
“It’s their careers and we have got a plan for each player – all with the aim of how we can develop a player for a career at first team level.”
The Under-23s were faced with a similar situation last season.
At that time, Farrend Rawson, the defensive linchpin, Guy, the key figure in midfield, and Vernam, the main source of goals, departed on loan.
At that point, a number of the fringe and Under-18s players stepped up to the plate and played integral roles as Wassall’s men dragged themselves off the foot of the Premier League 2 Division 1 table to stave off relegation.
Now Lyons, Derby’s senior professional development phase coach, wants to see which players can repeat that feat 12 months on.
“It’s right for all of those players to head out on loan and play some first team football,” he added. What this does do is give some of those Under-18s a chance to make their mark with the Under-23s.
“That’s the nature of the Academy. We want to keep seeing who can keep pushing on and who can keep improving to try and get in our first team – if not here, then somewhere else.
“It’s an opportunity for those other lads to break in to that team now. We went to watch a few of those players in the FA Youth Cup on Friday.
“A few of those have already done it. Max Bird, Jayden Bogle, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and Cameron Cresswell.
“As well as those four, we will be looking forward to watching them and a few of the others to see if they can take their performances from the Under-18s into the Under-23s.”
He added: “This time last year, we had a similar situation where a few players had to step in and we had such a good 2017 as a whole on that front.
“We were competing with the very best young teams in the country and whilst it isn’t going to be easy, but the challenge now is for them to step up again and build on the good work we did last year.”
