Divide will help West Brom rule, believes Luke Dowling

Prior to Dowling’s arrival, youth players and first team players all mixed together at the Baggies’ training base in Walsall.

It meant they shared facilities and equipment as well as a dining area.

But Dowling described that set-up as too ‘cosy’ with the technical director believing promising youngsters need to aspire and work hard to be part of the first-team structure.

That belief led to academy players and coaches being moved to a different part of the building before the 2019/20 campaign got under way.

And having been pleased with the results, Dowling revealed a new gym and physio/sports science area will be built for academy players this summer.

“This summer we shall extend the facilities at our training ground with a new gym, physio and sports area for the specific use of the academy,” he said.

“They will have a purpose built development which we hope will continue to ensure that our category one academy status is supported by facilities warranted by such a status.

“I think one of the biggest things players need to feel and see in the summer, when they return from a hard season’s slog to begin another, is change and this new building should help provide that.

“We were able to conduct some changes last summer which I believe brought positive results for both the first team and academy and we are hoping for the same in 2020.

“By moving the 23s, 18s and 16s into their own gym, physio and sports science area, we will be able to create more space for the first team in the existing building and take some more pressure off the demands on space.

“It will be a significant step forward, we hope, in accommodating all of the groups who operate out of the training ground.

“The changes we have made so far have made a positive impact in many different areas.

“This work we are undertaking, I think shows we remain committed to our category one status despite one or two rumours in local circles.

“The work is intended to add to the aspirations our young players should have to get ‘up the corridor’ and into that first team dressing room.”

Meanwhile, Dowling has confirmed Albion will be appointing an under-23s boss before the end of the season.

The Baggies under-23 side has been under the guidance of caretaker manager Deon Burton for the majority of the campaign after Michael Appleton opted to leave in favour of taking charge at League One Lincoln.

Currently sat third in the Premier League 2 table, Craig Shakespeare – who has previously been a coach at The Hawthorns – had been linked with the role before he teamed up with Nigel Pearson at Watford.

Dowling, though, says an appointment will be made soon.

He said: “We have now ended the application process and will be conducting interviews over the next few weeks with a view to an appointment before the end of the season.”

Albion’s under-23s have won 11 of their 16 Premier League 2, Division 2 games this season with only West Ham and Man United sitting above them in the table.