Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell is pleased that our ratio of Academy players in our squad is higher than any other team in the country but he insists that he does not pick on sentiment and will continue to name his side dependant on form and merit.
Crewe have a healthy ratio of 7.7 homegrown players in the starting XI on most matchdays and a number of the substitutes are made up of Academy graduates, but the Crewe boss says that they are judged and selected like anybody else.
David told crewealex.net: “There are a good number of homegrown players in the squad and that is testimony to the support staff and coaches here, but rest assured I select only on merit. Sentiment does not come into for me. If they train well and play well then they will be involved and stay involved.
“Our players are picked on form and that is how it has always been since I took over. We have had to wait a long time for some of them to come through and play without me or Kenny or one of the senor players telling them what to do all the time, but they are getting there. They are beginning to make decisions of their own and not having to rely on others.
“Perhaps that has got to do with experience or confidence but whatever it is they know what it takes now to win games.
“Then if they suffer a set-back they have learnt to get back on the horse and go again.”