Leicester City Manager Steve Cooper Promises Opportunities for Youth Talent Next Season

Leicester City’s next generation have been told new manager Steve Cooper will not be shy about selecting them next season.

Introduction of Steve Cooper

Previously England’s under-16 head coach, Cooper was appointed as Chelsea-bound Enzo Maresca’s replacement earlier this summer.

The Welshman arrived at the KP Stadium with an enviable reputation for developing home-grown talent, having held academy positions with both Wrexham and notably Liverpool before becoming a head coach in his own right.

Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White and Marc Guehi were members of the Young Lions squad he led to glory in the FIFA under-17 World Cup seven years ago.

Commitment to Youth Development

Despite acknowledging The Foxes must draft in more experienced and ready-made players this summer to enhance their prospects of retaining top-flight status, Cooper insisted that does not mean he will overlook those players progressing through the club’s youth programme.

“And a way of doing that is by giving them opportunities, whether that be training with the first team, using the lads in pre-season games or playing them in the league and cups.”

“In the end, there’s nothing more supporters, managers, coaches and even other players love than to see someone come through the system, getting into the team and really hitting the ground running. It keeps everyone fresh, including us on the staff.”
 

Image Credits: Sky Sports

“But my basic principles will never change.”

City have first-hand experience of the difficulties P&S can cause after being referred to an independent commission in March after it was alleged they had failed to submit their audited accounts on time.

Although the English Football League confirmed it was powerless to intervene, Foxes chiefs were subsequently informed Cooper’s side will begin the new campaign on minus two points.

Balancing Youth with Experience

The 44-year-old’s reign will officially begin with a home fixture against Tottenham Hotspur next month. City then travel to Fulham before hosting Midlands’ rivals Aston Villa.

Forest travel to the KP Stadium in October, with the return fixture scheduled to take place seven months later in May.

“Category One academies, there’s a lot of infrastructure which needs to be in place and a lot of criteria they must adhere to,” said Cooper.

“The whole idea, the whole purpose of them, is to produce players.”

“That’s the objective, whether it be for your own first team or possibility to sell and allow them to have careers elsewhere. So, it’s all about opportunity.”