Blues boss Mick McCarthy says 17-year-old midfielder Andre Dozzell would have played more of a role in the first team this season had Town had a better campaign.

England U18 international Dozzell made a dramatic goalscoring debut aged only 16 - just as his father Jason had done 32 years beforehand - as a sub at Sheffield Wednesday last April but has made only six starts - two in cups - and two appearances from the bench during 2016/17.

“If the team had been better, it might have been better for him,” McCarthy reflected. “I don’t think we were doing him any favours and consequently he wasn’t doing us any favours.

“It would have been great if the team had been playing really well and he could have fitted in and he hadn’t been needed to do so much, I guess, but we weren’t playing that well. Dozzer then is going to struggle in a team like that, as would any youngster coming in.

“When Bish came in we had a more settled team, we hadn’t got injuries, he played in a really strong team that had played week in, week out.

“When he got in it was Chambo, Tommy, Bez, Mings, Skusey, Ando, Tabby, Murph and Didz. He came in and it was that team almost every single week, pretty much nailed on.

“And anybody who came in came into a strong team which was playing well and unfortunately for Dozzer that’s not been the case.”

Is it harder to blood young players in the Championship than even the top flight these days? “Somebody told me it’s 21 when lads are getting debuts in the Premier League.

“I think we can give them [debuts] earlier. Dozzer got in and scored and he had a bit of a cameo appearance in a second half [the 2-1 victory over Bristol City] when he came on and he was terrific.

“No, I just think we’ve needed to be better to be more solid, to be more secure to accommodate him.

“We needed to be better to help him. He wasn’t going to come in and help the team while we were playing as we were.”

He says no pressure has been put on him to get young players in the squad, despite the academy’s stated aim of increasing the number of graduates in the first team.

“I haven’t had any pressure from above on any subject at all, getting players in the team or anything,” he added. “I can put enough pressure on myself without anybody else doing it.

“No, if I can get them in the team I’ll get them in the team but it was a big ask. He came in, he scored on his debut, it was all wonderful, history rewriting itself.”

McCarthy says Dozzell could be a major talent for the Blues going forward: “He could be, and Kundai’s gone out and played [on loan at Aldershot] and he’s doing well.

"I think Flynn Downes and Tristan Nydam are doing well and I’d love to be in a position where I could play them and not be worried about the result. At the moment that’s not the case.”

Regarding Teddy Bishop, McCarthy says the 20-year-old has endured another frustrating season.

“He’s been injured,” he said. “He’s got back a couple of times and then got injured again. He’s had a terrible season through injury.

“And he’s just about clear of it now. He had 90 minutes in the U23s [on Monday when he scored in the 2-1 win at Millwall].

“I think that was his second full game, so it’s nice to see him back and it would lovely to have him back fully fit. But I can’t organise his fitness. He’s just got to get over his injuries.

“And it’s been terrible for him, I feel really sorry for him because he’s such a talented player, as he’s proven when he’s been fully fit and he’s played.

“We could say the same with Jonny Williams as well, he’s another one who is such a talent but has had so many injuries it’s just not given me a chance to play them.”

Meanwhile, striker Ben Morris’s loan at Woking has come to an end, the 17-year-old England U18 international having made only one sub appearance for the Cards without scoring.

Photo: TWTD

DanSuperTown added 17:04 - Apr 12 Or we could bring him in and improve the team.... simple psychology, if players feel like there is pressure on for their spot, performances improve. For too long, Skuse, Berra, Chambo etc have been un-movable, so why should they perform
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bluetintedglasses added 17:13 - Apr 12 Let's hope Andre doesn't read this... great to see a manager explaining that a young, promising player would feature more in a better team. Great way of keeping our young, upcoming players at the club...
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Bluebell added 17:17 - Apr 12 That is rubbish. I can understand him not starting Dozzell but he could have come on from the bench. Even if we were drawing or even losing, he could have given a different option. Word is that we will lose Dozzell in the summer which would be madness! What a waste of money Williams is? Why wasn't he brought on at Fulham?
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iaintaylorx added 17:21 - Apr 12 Oh my god, no Mick! He should have been playing because we have BEEN so bad!! That is the most confusing thing you have said.. and it makes no sense? You earlier said the youngsters will get time if/when we are safe and now you're saying this? We have been crying out for some flair to replace Douglas and Skuse but you opt to choose them both!! JUST FFFFFF OFF!!!
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delias_cheesy_flaps added 17:24 - Apr 12 What a load of cr@p you spout MM. He's a footballer, were a football team allegedly, if he's any good he will improve your dire team selection, but to not try him because of your lack of ambition is ridiculous and frankly condescending to Andre.
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JackSted added 17:24 - Apr 12 That literally makes zero sense...
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Mark added 17:46 - Apr 12 Why is there no pressure on the manager to play young players when the owner set out a five point strategy stating '1 — To provide a significant ongoing financial commitment to the club's academy, enabling a steady flow of players into the first-team' ?! If the club plan to make the team better is to develop youngsters through the academy, how can the manager say he is not playing youngsters because the team is not good enough? Surely the team won't become good enough until the youngsters develop?!

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Seasider added 17:55 - Apr 12 More difficult to bring in youngsters in the Championship,than blood them in the Prem? Pity the interviewer didn't ask why McCarthy considered this to be the case,as he just says things to try and justify what HE decides to do. Looks like he feels that he is so good and indispensable that he can now stick two fingers up to the owners 5 point plan.With only five games to go it seems that once again we have gone through a season without bringing through any youth players to feature regularly in the first team. Surely it has to be asked then, why NOT ONE player has been brought through from the Academy during McCarthy's four and a half year tenure,to feature regularly in the first team.

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tiptreeblue added 17:56 - Apr 12 Calling all the players that you have assembled not good enough is, quite frankly stunning Mick, and then telling them that in public sums you up i`m afraid
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Lathers added 18:02 - Apr 12 If that's the case he should have loaned Dozzell out to a League One club rather than waste a year of the kids career.
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braveblue added 18:48 - Apr 12 Absolute rubbish. Dinosaur thinking.
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martin587 added 18:54 - Apr 12 The team is dire MM,so basicly your saying Dozzell is worse.What a load of rubbish you spout.!!
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TractorBeezer added 19:23 - Apr 12 Most businesses review their business plans/objectives monthly (or at least quarterly). If MM is not meeting with Marcus for these reviews, he should be measuring himself. What a shambles!
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jollyroger added 19:57 - Apr 12 Better players make better teams simples get the boy in now
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prebbs007 added 20:36 - Apr 12 So our team is too bad for a talented youngster to play ??? Are you really telling us that ??? You truly are a joke Muck !!! Maybe just maybe playing better players could make the team better. Oh no let's continue to play the dross week after week. That's why we're so bad. You are why we're so bad !!! Fark Off out of our club you retarded stubborn twonk 😡🥊💩
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Carberry added 20:50 - Apr 12 If the team was playing better he wouldn't have been picked.
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OwainG1992 added 22:27 - Apr 12 I don't understand? If we played better he could have played? But doesn't that mean if we are winning the players must have played better so why would you drop them for him? Micks lost me here.
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harlingblue added 02:50 - Apr 13 Older players selected and the team tactics have been woeful all season? MM states a younger player would have been given a chance in a better team? Perhaps the younger players should have been given a fair chance to achieve and make the team better? That would at least win back the 12th player...THE FANS. Tactical nonce would then be required by MM and TC to come out of their comfort zone, to create a team to actually entertain and hopefully win, especially in home games.

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Currie10 added 08:50 - Apr 13 While I'd like to see the likes of our talented youngsters play - lets be clear, for the first time in maybe 10 years we have talented midfielders coming through I think from a pure avoid relegation dogfight Mick may have a point. Don't hang these lads out to dry and potentially overnight ruin / write off a career. That said, with Douglas on the way out / Leeds loanee going and hopefully the end of a Mr BANG AVERAGE Kevin BRUUUUUU I think next season a few will step up. Appears to be the end of gamble on Jonny Williams - he won't be back - and I think next season Mick may well chuck a couple in and change the style of play somewhat. His hands sadly were well and truly tied when Murphy left without a replacement - we have a certain Mr Webster to come back next season. I do not think it's all as doom and gloom as we all feel right now however this season cannot end soon enough.

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PortmanTerrorist added 09:48 - Apr 13 Absolute rubbish again from MM. If team was playing well then he would never have got near the first 11. If you can't get in the team when over half are regularly producing performances of less than 7/10 , and a quarter are out of position, then you never getting in !
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sixtyblue added 10:14 - Apr 13 Sounds like Mick has finally completely lost it.What a waste of time listening to his inane crap.The only way any player will make selection is if they are over thirty or their legs are in the first stage of going.He just gets players who are not fit enough to be good championship quality.He really rates absolutely lost to the real job needed doing.
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runaround added 13:45 - Apr 13 So team wasn't doing well enough to play youngsters so he continues with the more experienced, not good enough players instead! It beggars belief! How is making the same mistakes game after game going to improve things. He only plays youngsters when forced to, Kenlock is only one getting a game which is only due to Knudsen being injured. Emmanuel, Dozzell, Bishop & Benyu don't get a chance usually. Sir Bobby would say if they're good enough they're old enough. Micks current policy could lose the club all talented youngsters. If he won't change he had to go

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Surco72 added 14:11 - Apr 13 So team plays reallly badly week in and week out and better talented footballers cannot get a game ? But if the team had been playing well you would keep a winning side ? So basically Bishop , Dozzell etc may as well do one because you wont get selected unless there are injuries or suspensions . And now you need a massive change to the squad you have assembled which started the season as the best squad you have had , talk about making it up as you go along . Shame one of the highest paid managers in the league cannot see what the dumb idiots down the pub can see !!

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chripswich added 14:15 - Apr 13 Did he really give all those nicknames? what a pr*c its like an old grandad putting on a larey shirt at a barbeque and trying to be 16.. he really is a knob..
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Bluetone added 15:55 - Apr 13 quote "Dozzell Would Have Played More in a Better Team" there you have it Andre best your agent finds you a better footballing club; that shouldn't be difficult.
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