Liam Daish: Time for promising Portsmouth kids to experience real football

Now Liam Daish is eager for the latest talented crop to sample the senior game on a more regular basis.

Joe Dandy, Petar Durin, Joe Hancott and Leon Maloney are earmarked for loan spells away from Fratton Park to aid their encouraging development.

Already progress is close, with Dandy and goalkeeper Durin set to link-up with Bognor, where they briefly appeared on loan last season.

In the past week, the youngsters have turned out twice on Pompey XI duty as part of the pre-season schedule.

Firstly there was a 2-0 defeat at AFC Portchester last weekend, followed by Tuesday night's 4-0 reverse at Aldershot.

With Kenny Jackett’s first-team in action elsewhere, both fixtures have been dominated by Academy youngsters.

And professional development phase coach Daish wants the older members to experience plenty more senior football.

He said: ‘Joe Dandy is going out to Bognor, Petar Durin will probably go out, then there's the likes of Joe Hancott and Leon Maloney.

‘They need to get out.

‘They’ve had a taste of playing men’s teams over the last week and their next step might be coming out and playing in those sorts of leagues.

‘Now they know what is expected and it’s tough, it is tough. This is not so much development, this is performance and winning games.

‘So that will be invaluable for them and that’s the way the club is. Our next stage is getting these players out and getting them exposure in real football.’

Matt Casey is another Pompey are keen to loan out, but is a first-year professional.

And the centre-half skippered the Blues in that Recreation Ground defeat.

Daish added: ‘Against Aldershot you could see a lot of willingness and legs in the side – and also a fair bit of ability.

‘They are only youngsters and development will be in another two or three years with them.

‘By the end of the programme we want them to come out equipped, not just to deal with football, but to deal with life in general.’