THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Stoke's latest intake of scholars, from left, Julian N'Goy, Chris Marques, Kyreen Hamilton, Joshua Williams, Liam Smith, Freddy Yao, Theo Brierley, Toby Wells, Danny Jarvis, Tom Shepherd and Oliver Shenton. Pictures: Malcolm Hart
ACADEMY boss Dave Wright says Mark Hughes is ready to open the floodgates for youth players coming through the ranks at Stoke City.
Wright has signed up 11 new scholars at the Britannia Stadium, including Belgian forward Julien N'Goy and highly-rated Blythe Bridge midfielder Oliver Shenton.
Andy Wilkinson and Ryan Shotton are the only homegrown products in the senior squad at the moment, but Wright is confident that could be about to change.
He said: "We have long-term targets, and in two or three years hopefully there will be a conveyor belt for everyone to see. At the moment it's looking like it could happen even sooner.
"If it does, great, but there is no time pressure, and we don't want to put the burden on one lad to carry the hopes for the youth system. We want to do it right.
"The manager is keen to make a seamless link from the youth team to the first team, and last year we saw Charlie Ward on the bench at Aston Villa and Dan Bachmann on the bench against Leicester City in the FA Cup.
"Our youth players are regularly training with the manager. Olly Shenton has done that already at the age of 16. A clear path is emerging. If they want it and earn it the manager is prepared to give them the chance."
Ward, Bermuda international keeper Dale Eve and striker James Alabi could be among the under-21s prospects sent out on loan over the course of this season to help their case to gain Hughes's attention.
Wright added: "It's going to be very rare that someone will make the step up from the under-21s straight to the first team. We want them to go out and gain first team experience.
"We want clubs to come and ask to take our players, which will mean we're doing something right, but we are also out there actively trying to find the right places for these players to make the next step.
"It might weaken our under-21s side in terms of results, but we will do what's right for the players and the club in the long-term."
One-club man and fans' favourite Wilkinson has just penned a contract extension, but it is looking likely Shotton could be heading towards the exit door as he makes a bid for regular first-team action.
The pair, Carl Dickinson and Andy Griffin are the only youth team graduates to start Premier League matches for the Potters since their promotion back to the top flight in 2008.
Wright said: "It's even harder to produce players for the Stoke team now because they have to be ready to play in the top 10 of the Premier League, but everything is in place now to try to make it happen.
"The chairman, the board and the manager all want to see players being developed to their potential, and as a category one club it's our duty to make sure that if they don't make it in the Premier League they still have a career in the game. We have to be a feeder club."
The 11 new scholars include Australian goalkeeper Chris Marques and Belgian prospect N'Goy, who Stoke have managed to sign from under the noses of several rivals.
The 16-year-old has been on trial with the Potters and featured in the under-17s team which won the Adidas Generation Cup in the United States back in April.
His signing has caught the imagination and gained national attention, but that is not expected to go to his head.
Wright said: "He's quite laid back and I don't think he takes a lot of notice that his name's in the paper... not at the moment anyway!
"He could have gone to a lot of clubs around Europe and quite a few in the Premier League, but he chose us and hopefully it's a sign of how we are going. He felt at home here, wanted to come here and we wanted him here.
"He's already settling in well. He's had to learn English, but he's done it very quickly.
"He's been in and around the Belgium set up and he scores goals for fun. He can make goals out of nothing and he's an exciting prospect."
