Portsmouth chief makes development group admission amid Academy concerns

Pompey’s Championship return does not alter their stance on the introduction of an under-21s side.

That’s the message from Rich Hughes, who admits the creation of a development group is still not on the Blues’ agenda.

There have long been calls to improve the pathway for Academy players, which remains an ongoing concern under owners Tornante.

The issue has again come under the spotlight this season, with all 11 of Pompey’s second-year scholars released following graduation, including skipper and Fratton Park season ticket holder Jack Fox.

Yet while Hughes is adamant the concept of an under-21s side continues to be reviewed, it presently isn’t part of their plans.

The Blues’ sporting director told The News: ‘From my understanding, we are not looking at a development group at this point.

‘The question doesn’t change based on the league we are in - in this case, the Championship next season.

‘First and foremost, the most important thing to say on this, we understand that this football club wants to see club-developed players, we get that.

‘We know there’s a lot of good work going on and it’s really important that, when we’re making decisions on players to release them at 18, we are not doing it based on we don’t think those players can affect the Championship straight away at 18.

‘We are making the decision that actually we don’t think some of these players can get to that level they are going to need to get to.

‘The problem of a development team then becomes the actual management of it, having enough players to run a solid games programme, they need to be competitive to a degree.

‘It’s a constant conversation and something we’re consistently reviewing to make sure we get the best pathway for players post 18 to go on and develop, eventually becoming Pompey first-team players.

‘It’s about cost, the return on investment, you need extra staff, you need extra resources, extra training pitches, all these things become a factor and it’s something we continue to look at and will continue to look at across a wider executive team.

‘We will make the decision we feel is right for the football club and, as things stand, we don’t think it’s quite right just for now.

‘But we will continue to review it and assess it and see if that changes in the future.’

Along with all second-year and third-year scholars being released, the Blues also didn’t retain home-grown trio Josh Dockerill, Haji Mnoga and Harry Jewitt-White at the season’s end.

It leaves Toby Steward and 33-year-old Marlon Pack as the only Academy-produced players in Pompey’s squad.

Hughes added: ‘Quite possibly it (development group) could change in the future because we know the importance of local talent for this club and we want to get there.

‘But we’ve had to be competitive to stay competitive and make sure that everything in the first-team is right and the Academy is in a good spot.

‘Then it’s just that eternal question in football of linking the two.’