By Tom Daniels: Performances and the progression of players matter more that results, well at Under-18 level anyway, according to Blackburn coach Ian Jones.
While new Rovers manager Paul Lambert and his squad make the short trek across the M65 to face Preston tomorrow in search of some much needed Championship points – the club’s Under-18s will instead be in action in the U18 Premier League North around 35 miles away at Manchester City’s Etihad Campus.
The surroundings and impact attached to the outcome of both games could not be more different though.
“To be honest it (the result) really doesn’t matter, we aren’t bothered about the results,” said Blackburn coach Ian Jones, who insisted that academy achievements are not determined solely by league position.
Instead the measure of success for Jones and Billy Barr, will be how many of their players head up the hill at Brockhall to the club’s senior training centre.
“It’s about how many players progress from us to Damian (Johnson) our under 21 coach. It’s all about trying to get them from here to the Under-21s. If you win great, it’s great for morale around the building and they enjoy it.”
“But to be in the game and put performances together that’s more important,” Jones added.
“Ultimately we are graded by the new manager on how many players get from our building to the senior training centre,” Jones continued. “He is not really going to be that bothered if we get beaten but more bothered about the players coming though. Because that is what affects him.”
