I got into an argument on the message board this morning on the merits of Ishmel Demontagnac and whether he should be starting or not. That got me thinking, as the argument shouldn’t really be about individuals at all, it’s just the way these things tend to go, just as criticisms of players are often more to do with tactics.

One of the areas that I believe should be improved around the club is the need for a number 2 to look after the reserves and bring on some of the youngsters AFTER they get made first year pros. Since the departure of Mark Kinsella back to Charlton, we haven’t had anyone fulfilling the function at all and he was relatively new and untried at the job.

Let’s make one thing clear. This is not a criticism of Mick Halsall and the wonderful job he has been doing in producing a talented crop of youth team players, this is about the all important transition from youth team, through the reserves, to first team squad.

I, for one, think that there’s an argument to say that Ishy has progressed much at all since making his debut and he isn’t the first, following in the footsteps of Williams, Taylor and others, and we almost, but for the grace of God, lost Dann because of it, as Merson admitted that he had been prepared to let him go last season.

Now, if I were going to criticise Richard Money for anything, it would be the fact he has done nothing yet to address this problem, but it won’t be solved by just throwing youngsters in at the deep end in crucial games in a promotion campaign (or, as Merson proved, in a relegation campaign). He might, after all, not see this as a priority, when measured against the stopping the rot we were in under the last but one Manager (and, let’s face it, in the position we were in, it’s hardly surprising if that’s the way he did feel), but the youngsters are now in danger of becoming victims of our own success. I was discussing last night how we now have, for example, two young goalkeepers in McKeown and Gilmartin whose contracts will be up shortly and there is an argument to say we don’t need one (or even both) and we could lose them in the Summer. Ishy hasn’t broken through and, to be honest, I don’t think he looks capable of it at the moment, and we have Nicholls and Deeney queing up in the reserves. What Eric McManus’s role is meant to be, I’m not sure, but, without a reserve team manager, there is a chance that these players will be stagnating at a crucial stage in their development, the 18/19/20 years. If we were safe in mid table, with nothing to play for, they (and Bradley and Sansara for that matter) might have got a chance to prove themselves by now, but not in the current circumstances, which means they might never get the chance to progress, unless their coaching needs are addressed.

What I do believe is that Dicky needs to address this problem and make the right appointment of someone who can develop these players into future assets for the club over what is always a tricky time in anyone’s career.