Hogg keen to create pathway for Northampton's academy players
Cobblers boss Chris Hogg hopes to give more opportunities to the club’s young players after academy duo Filip Opiela and George Daldy featured in Saturday’s friendly against Leicester City.
Opiela, a tall, rangy left-sided player, started the game at left-back and had a running battle with Leicester winger Riley Carr, before Hogg fielded a separate XI in the second half, which included Daldy. The young midfielder played alongside Dean Campbell in the middle of the pitch.
"We had two teams and it was a real good experience for the youth team boys, with Filipe in the first half and then George in the middle of the pitch,” said Hogg. "That was bolstering what we had in terms of numbers and I think that highlights we still need players and keep busy in the market.
"But football clubs always used to be about youth and developing players and giving your local people an opportunity to be successful. The romantic in me still loves that. If they're good enough, they're old enough and you give them opportunities.
"The clubs I've been at before, you can have a sustainable youth development model with the academies and the categories but it's about trying to put a system in place where you can bring players through.
"We have a Category Three academy and there are some really good people in there who work hard with the boys. It's about progressing and developing that really and Colin (Calderwood) has an overview of all of that stuff in his role.
"I love giving people opportunities whatever their age is, young or old, and today was good exposure for them and hopefully it gives them a good experience to build on and go into the season."