At Watford’s Academy, thoughts rarely stray from how players can be improved and how they can make the first team.

With coaches working in close proximity, it leads to long and detailed discussions about the young hopefuls who are under the club’s wing.

“We’re always in dialogue every single day, for hours, about who’s doing well and who needs improving,” said Under-21s Lead Coach Charlie Daniels to watfordfc.com.

    “What’s going on, how do we improve this player, what do we need to do?

“We try to plan two or three games ahead, and try to predict who the first team might need.”

The Hornets Academy has experienced success this season with Zavier Massiah-Edwards and Albert Eames both making their full debuts and the likes of Alfie Marriott, Jack Grieves, Amin Nabizada and Leo Ramirez-Espain also being around the first team.

“It’s a sign of progression, it’s a sign that the Academy is doing its job,” said Daniels.

“The aim of the Under-21s is to get players into the first team, whether that’s our first team or another first team. That’s our job, that’s our goal, that’s our main focus.

“Giving youngsters a chance to see if they’re ready. Some will be, some won’t be.”

Daniels moved up to the Under-21s after previously being Lead Coach of the Under-18s side, guiding the team to sixth in the PL Professional Development League South.

    Results are often seen as of secondary importance in Academy football, however, as developing players is the primary aim.

“As a season as a whole with the Under-21s, it’s always difficult because there are so many players moving in and out, up and down,” Daniels said.

“But from my perspective I’ve seen all our players grow and all our players develop.

“We’ve had some really good games, we’ve had some really bad games, but this is part of development football.

“All in all I think it’s been good and it’s been successful. I hope the players feel like they have progressed from where we started to where we are now.”

Tom Cleverley’s appointment as Head Coach of the first team, after he previously held the Under-18s role, has given hope to Academy players as the boss is well aware of what they can offer.

Cleverley’s backroom team of Armand Kavaja and Damon Lathrope have also worked with the Academy so provide a further link with the senior set-up.

“There are some really good players in the Academy and we’re trying to push them to make that next step,” said Daniels.

“With Tom’s appointment it should be more streamlined than it has ever been, more seamless than it has ever been.

“The coaches know everyone, so the players should feel positive about it and feel that if given the opportunity they are going to get to the first team and they will be welcomed.

    “There will be no going into it blind, they will know what’s coming and what’s expected of them.

“Working with Tom is going to be good for the Academy as we’re going to make it a lot more together and a lot closer than it has been.

“If you are good enough, you are old enough.”

An example of the closer relationship could be Academy sides mirroring any tactics and formations Cleverley might bring in for the first team.

“We will try and mirror the first team as much as we can,” said Daniels. “We talk about development, and when players get to the first team we want it to become less of a jump, and a gradual progression.”

Daniels, who said that telling players they were no longer in the club’s plans was the hardest part of the job, believes that first-teamers dropping down to play with the Under-21s can also be hugely beneficial.

“For me, as someone who has been there and had first-team players come down to play with us, it is powerful,” he said.

    “It helps the young players a lot more to watch how they play and act – why would they move there, why wouldn’t they move there?”

With players moving up to the first team or going out on loan, it means Daniels oversees different-looking squads on a weekly basis.

“It’s a good challenge to have,” he said. “If we’re losing players to a loan or the first team then we’re doing our job properly.

“It gives an opportunity for the next player to come in, and I always say that you have to be ready.

“You have to be ready to be picked as, in football, 24 hours is a long time.”

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