Assistant boss Stuart Taylor wishes the Blues’ U18s and U23s well in their play-off games over the course of the next few days but says developing players for the first team is more important than winning trophies at those levels.
The U18s finished second in their version of the Professional Development League Two South, while the U23s topped their table.
The younger group, coached by Adem Atay and Kieron Dyer, face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in their play-off semi-final on Saturday morning (KO 11am), while the U23s, whose coaches are Gerard Nash and Chris Hogg, host Birmingham City at Portman Road next Tuesday (KO 7pm).
"In all honesty, that’s the real success, who comes through to the first team,” Taylor said. "Winning games in the U18s and U23s is nice, but that’s not the main part of it.
"The main part of it is how many player are you getting up to U23 level or how many players you’re getting into first team level.
"Idris El Mizouni is a massive success, so’s Jack Lankester, Corrie Ndaba has been up training so much with the first team as well.
"That’s how we gauge success, from how many players come through into the first team. Certainly there’s been success at this football club, that’s what makes it so unique and the amount of players that come through and establish themselves, that’s what it’s all about.”
Reflecting on the prospect of end-of-season trophies, he added: "It’s great, it is nice, but if you’ve got a decision to make on your U23s getting into cup finals and nobody coming through to the first team, I wouldn’t have that, I’d rather have them coming through into the first team and the results and stuff like that secondary.
"Yes, you want to build a winning mentality but the most important part of development is getting players through to a higher level to go and challenge themselves and get into the first team.”
Taylor is certain players yet to make an impression on the first team will emerge next season in addition to those already in and around the senior side.
"Yes, without a doubt,” he said. "Players dictate it themselves, if they’re doing well enough they get promoted, the progression’s there and they end up playing at a higher level. If that’s U18 players in the U23s or U23s in the first team, then fantastic.”