Pressure on Pompey to continue bringing through talent

That is the opinion of Kenny Jackett, who will make the academy clear of his demands to continue delivering footballers to the first team.

The Blues boss believes the scrapping of the emergency loan window last year heightens the importance of a strong youth policy.

The 55-year-old stressed it’s an area of a club he places significant weight on.

He said: ‘You run a youth policy to bring players through, so you have to put pressure on them to make sure they bring players through with quality.

‘With the loan window changing it puts even more emphasis on your youth policy and getting the quality in which is good enough to play for our first team is a big part of my job – and one I take seriously.’

Jackett has been in regular contact with academy staff since his arrival at the start of last month.

They are currently training at Langstone Campus with the first team using the new Tifosy pitches while their normal pitches are improved.

Jackett said: ‘The academy is on site and Mark Kelly runs it from an office which is close by.

‘We have regular staff meetings. It’s nothing out of the ordinary but every morning at 9am there’s a staff meeting.

‘I’m gradually getting to know the young boys.

‘Because of the pitches, they are changing here but working off site at the moment.

‘I haven’t seen them train yet but I will do.

‘There are one-and-a-half academy pitches we are using. The others are being released on Monday or the Monday afterwards.

‘So at the moment they are working down at the university until they come back here and we go on the first-team pitches.

‘Then it’ll be easier to watch them but I’m reasonably confident I know everyone at the club.’