Kenny Jackett works from bottom at Wolves

The Molineux head coach realises the prospect of being able to splash out millions of pounds transforming the team is an unlikely one in the modest surroundings of League One.

So he is determined to build on what he has inherited rather than buy in at the expense of squeezing out talent that could blossom in the future.

In the last decade, even the most highly-rated of Wolves academy-reared players such as Mark Davies and Elliott Bennett have sought pastures new after being frustrated by a lack of progress at Molineux.

Jackett wants to change that philosophy so even those unpolished gems get the chance to shine with the right coaching, advice, encouragement and opportunities.

On the pre-season tour of Scotland, 12 of the 23-man squad can be considered homegrown.

That's if you include Irish imports Aaron McCarey, Matt Doherty and Anthony Forde and Welsh youngsters Lee Evans and Jake Cassidy – all in their teens when they signed - while only six of the party are over 25.

Jackett said: "As a head coach, quite often you can't affect the top of your group straightaway, unless you have unlimited amounts of money and you can spend x-amounts of millions to go and buy the best players.

"So it becomes about the bottom of your group, and if you can raise the level of the bottom of your group, you will improve standards because it's a team game. You are working with 18-22 players every day.

"If you can look at the bottom two, three or four, and constantly be giving young players the chance to improve on that, the standard of your overall group will improve performances.

"Management-wise, it's a lot easier to do that than suddenly trying to find a great player by Saturday."

Having earned Category One academy status for three years, Jackett believes Wolves have the right foundations in place.

But he is convinced that the only way forwards is by those at the bottom being channelled through to challenge those at the top.

He said: "A good youth policy helps that - the flow of players from 18-21 and 21s to the first-team group is important. That competition keeps it driving forward and keeps the standard getting higher.

"A place in that first-team group is something that needs to be appreciated and valued and there has to be young players constantly snapping at the established players' heels to take their place.

"If you do that and get real competition at the bottom, the overall standard moves up very quickly."