Roy Hodgson takes interest in Albion's young guns

Albion's academy chief believes Roy Hodgson's arrival at The Hawthorns has inspired the club's young players.

Academy Manager Mark Harrison revealed the Premier League debut of 18-year-old George Thorne on the final day of the season at Newcastle has got the Academy ranks buzzing.

And Harrison is delighted with the interest Hodgson has shown in Albion's up-and-coming talent since taking over the Hawthorns hotseat in February.

"Since the new head coach came in it has been a really positive time for the academy," said Harrison.

"A number of the academy players have trained with the first team on a regular basis, in particular George Thorne and James Hurst over the final months of last season.

"In the last six weeks of the season those two were named in the 19 or 20-man squad for every game.

"That culminated in George making his Premier League debut at Newcastle.

"Roy has been fantastic in including a number of boys in training, some for a day or two, some for a week, etc.

"Certainly, he has had a good look at the players – and that's all we can ask for really.

"I have found the last two to three months a very positive period."

In addition to Thorne, who has since impressed for England's Under-19s this summer, and Hurst, Hodgson has also worked with young professionals Sam Mantom, Kayleden Brown, Paul Downing, Romaine Sawyers and Saido Berahino and second-year scholars Adil Nabi, Kemar Roofe and Mani O'Sullivan.

"Even on the days when the first-team players have just been doing a cool-down the head coach has gone out and worked with the young professionals," said Harrison.

"None of the young professionals could say they haven't had the chance to impress the head coach.

"In previous regimes they have always had a little bit of a sniff.

"But in the last three months we've never had it so good in that respect.

"Hopefully that will develop now the head coach has had a look and seen the players are of a good standard and he'll continue to involve them.

"The relationship has been good and I think it has helped with Keith Downing and Michael Appleton being in the first-team set-up as good sounding boards for the head coach.

Generally the feedback has been quite positive from what the head coach has seen.

"People don't probably realise what having the opportunity to train with the first team means to these players.

"It's fantastic for them and it pushes them on and shows them what is required in terms of the tempo being quicker and the detail – everything about the sessions goes up a few notches.

"What was most pleasing for the academy staff watching the Newcastle game was that we've spent a lot of time trying to teach the boys to play a style of football that we feel is Premier League-type football.

"And to see George wanting to get the ball off the back-four and look confident on the ball as an 18-year-old was fantastic for us."