Express & Star

Jon Whitney sticking with youth at Walsall

Boss Jon Whitney believes it’s imperative he sticks with Walsall’s young players despite the team’s dip in form.

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The Saddlers currently sit just a single point outside the relegation zone following a run that has seen them win just once in their last eight League One outings.

Walsall had five players who came through the club’s youth ranks start Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Gillingham.

Nevertheless, the result ensured the team walked off to boos from the home crowd.

And when asked about that reaction Whitney said: “Do I deserve it? I’m not fussed. They can sing about me all day long. But I’m going to keep doing the job I was brought in here to do which is develop young players.

“Young players who are good enough to have careers and make names for themselves at Walsall Football Club.

“If you are going to take the Gillingham game, when we have got five academy players in the starting line-up and one coming off the bench, then I don’t think they deserve the boos.

“I’m proud to have this opportunity and to have that title (as manager). But if you have got that title you have to accept criticism as well.

“I can take it for my young players – that is what I am here for. I am an old, wise head. And I understand frustrations.

But I also hope they (the fans) understand what we are trying to achieve at this club.

“We are not going to panic or make a knee-jerk reaction because of the position we are in.

“The performances are the key. If you get performances you start to pick up results.”

Walsall return to action tonight when they face Fleetwood at the Banks’s Stadium.

But they will be without injury-plagued midfielder Florent Cuvelier who is being given extra time to recover from a minor knock.

“Flo is training but I want him to have another week’s training or maybe a few weeks,” Whitney added.

“In the past we have put him back in for his quality.

“But he needs, I think, to have a couple of weeks hard training before we bring him back into the first-team.

“I’m not going to risk Flo until he is ready and has completed a couple of weeks of hard training.”