Blues boss Paul Lambert believes Myles Kenlock has a big future ahead of him but wants to see more of Josh Emmanuel with both young full-backs seeing their contracts come to an end in the summer. He also says he needs to see more of Tristan Nydam, whose deal runs to 2021.
Kenlock, 22, has started six of the last seven games and has impressed his manager, while Emmanuel, 21, hasn’t featured for the Town first team since the final day of 2016/17 having spent last season on loan at Rotherham and the first half of this campaign at Shrewsbury before returning in January.
Both players are out of contract come the end of the season but with the club having the option to keep them for a further year.
"Josh came back in January and he’s not played a game under us because it was a big, big ask to throw that kid in and let him go with it,” Lambert said when asked about the duo’s situations.
"Myles, I think has done great, I really think Myles has got a big future, the way he is. I think he’s 22 and at this moment he’s playing really well for us, really, really well.
"He came through the ranks, albeit a little bit later. And again, why would you want to let somebody go when you’ve nurtured them through and all of a sudden it’s, ‘See you later’ and then go and get a loan. It doesn’t add up. That’s what you have to try and stop.
"I think Kenlock’s been really good for us, really, really good for us and I think he’s going to get better. He’s going to get stronger, he definitely getting better with the ball, Myles.
"I think Josh, we have to see more of Josh. He’s another young kid who has come through the ranks.
"It’s an exciting time for young players, it really is and Josh is in that boat that we need to see more of him, whatever happens in the rest of the season we have a chance to maybe play him and let’s see what he can do.”
Another youngster Lambert says he needs to see more of is midfielder or full-back Nydam, who is currently sidelined with an injury having returned from his loan spell at St Johnstone in January.
"He’s hurt his back, Tristan,” Lambert added. "He’s another one we have to have a look at. I think he’s a really good footballer but he’s a young kid that we have to have a little look at.
"That’s why I always think it’s exciting here. I think it’s an exciting group of young players we’ve got, but they have to be given a chance or else there’s no point in having an academy.
"It doesn’t make sense. In 1981 this club had John Wark, [who had come] through, Eric Gates, Terry Butcher, Russell Osman, George Burley, Steve McCall, that was in 1981 and that grew into the one of the best teams in the era when I was growing up.
"This [current first-team squad] has got six, I’m not saying that to compare them with those lads whatsoever but there’s not been many times where you get a lot of guys coming through at the one time.
"But what’s the point of having an academy if you’re not going to utilise it or you’re not going to use them? It doesn’t make sense that.
"Sometimes you don’t need to recruit because they’re sitting under your nose. You’ve just got to have the nerve to play them.”