Blues boss Mick McCarthy says 17-year-old midfielder Tristan Nydam doesn’t look out of place when training with the first team squad. McCarthy says Nydam and fellow 17-year-old Pat Webber, a left-back, are likely to be among the youngsters who could be given a taste of first-team football before the end of the season.

Nydam was on the bench for the senior side for the first time at Huddersfield last week, having appeared as a sub in the pre-season friendly at Cambridge.

“I like everything about him,” McCarthy enthused. “His personality on the pitch, he likes to get on the ball, he’s quick, he’s tough, he’s a good footballer, he passes it, he wants to get on it and play.

“And when he comes and trains with the first team and he doesn’t look out of place. I took him to Huddersfield really as a left-back, a left wing-back last week thinking that I hadn’t got too many left footers around the place. Pat Webber had been on the bench but I took Tristan because he deserves it.”

Might the likes of Nydam and Webber get their first-team chance once the Blues have made themselves safe from relegation this season? “Unless one of them blows me away completely and I think he should be in the team. But yes, if we were mathematically safe, then they would get a game.”

Regarding Webber, who joined the academy from non-league Worthing in May last year after a trial and was an unused first-team sub for the FA Cup ties with Lincoln and the Blackburn league game, he added: “Damian, his father, played for me at Millwall. He’s done all right, he trains with us and he’s done fine.

“I don’t think he’s ready for the first team but we’d no left-sided cover with Myles Kenlock being injured and if there was anything up with Jonas I’d put him on the pitch.”

Photos: TWTD

martin587 added 13:53 - Jan 27 Very good to hear.Give them a chance as we have nothing to loose.!
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WadeyBlue added 14:08 - Jan 27 They'll get their chance even earlier when you're sacked after the next couple of humiliating defeats...
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smellmycheese added 14:13 - Jan 27 Please go
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Lightningboy added 14:21 - Jan 27 They "could" get their chance later in the season.........when there's bugg3r all to play for again. McCarthy is turning us into a pub side.
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DoobDude added 14:28 - Jan 27 Still reads to me that McCarthy doesn't really trust these players. We've been so poor lately that you think he would give one of them a run in the team. So many of our current first teamers are under performing. To quote John Lennon "All we are saying is give youth a chance".
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MattinLondon added 14:57 - Jan 27 I don't think that change for the sake of change is a good idea but for a long while the team has looked stale and one-dimensional. Some players know for a fact that they will play week-in-week-out regardless of results. Maybe the young players will shake the regulars to up their game. Regardless there seems little point in playing such players for a few minutes here and there as they need regular matches to get better. McDonnell was one who was supposed to push on last season but he was never given a change despite Skuse and Douglas and Coke (albeit on the bench) being very average.

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battyblue added 16:34 - Jan 27 Might means no chance,,,,i wonder if josh is still knackered and need a longer rest, i can't see Mccarthy ever having a change in his thinking,,,,,,McCarthy out get the banners ready,
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micky_1560 added 17:05 - Jan 27 We heard all this at the end of last season and looked forward to seeing Kenlock, Emmanuel and Dozzel on a regular basis, but even though the experienced players have fallen short, they still get picked first, even when the youngsters play well.
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armchaircritic59 added 17:43 - Jan 27 Yes micky 1560, i've always been a fan of giving youth a chance, way back to the mid sixties! We havn't done too bad with that over the years, have we? However, i do fear Emmanuel is now going to find himself as back up for Jordan Spence. I'm not criticising JS at all, it appeared he was the best town player at Huddersfield, from what i've heard and read. Just seems that Josh might be one of those unlucky guys who finds himself in the right place, but at the wrong time. I hope not.

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micky_1560 added 21:14 - Jan 27 There is something McCarthy doesn't like about Emmanuel. Maybe he makes too many mistakes. The only way to get better and get more experience at his stage of his career is to play. Still heaps better than Chambers at right-back!
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