Story by
Ryan Yates Warns Young Forest Stars may Need Loans to Thrive
- Story by
- Ryan Yates Warns Young Forest Stars may Need Loans to Thrive
(REUTERS)
When it comes to Nottingham Forest's academy, nobody at the club understands the journey more than Ryan Yates .
The Forest captain came through the academy himself and, eight years after making his first-team debut, the 28-year-old remains a key figure at the club.
Advertisement
Though he is now often a bit-part player, Yates still ranks highly in the club's changing room hierarchy, evidenced by his continued captaincy.
Tall praise from an academy star
As part of his leadership role, he is also a mentor for the club's next generation of players battling to break out of the academy set-up.
In January, B Team wingback Jimmy Sinclair , who featured twice in the Europa League last term, told club media about the skipper's influence.
"Yatesy's been really good," he revealed. "Obviously, he's been through the journey from the academy to the first team before, so he knows the experiences that you're having.
Advertisement
"So it's nice to see it from his point of view – he's been really good at it."
Demands could force loan moves, says Yates
Making it as a Premier League footballer is no easy feat; anybody will tell you that. But doing so straight out of an academy takes the achievement to another level, given how infrequently it happens.
The bar is high, and only rising as more money and quality are introduced into the game.
With fewer than three per cent of academy players at elite clubs ever appearing in the Premier League, the next generation can leave no stone unturned in their quest to 'make it'.
Advertisement
By April this year, Forest ranked 12th for Premier League minutes played by academy graduates, a sign of the tough path ahead for hopefuls in the Reds' academy.
Yates has warned that the club's best young talents may need to head out on loan, like he did, to realise their potential and contribute at Forest in the future.
"We've got some really bright young players coming through," he insisted after Forest's pre-season win over Notts County .
"Obviously, being in the Premier League, it's going to be tougher to get minutes. I had to have four separate loan moves before I got my chance in the Championship, so we'll see.
Advertisement
"When you have some players come up to the first team and train, you sometimes sort of know they're not ready, but I think these guys are ready for first-team minutes.
"If they can't get that at Forest just yet, then a good loan move for them will be fantastic, and it'll only help the club."
