Lambert calls for youth overhaul

Colchester United boss Paul Lambert believes the club's youth policy needs to be stripped back and started again.

The U's fielded a reserve team against Leyton Orient this week made up entirely of youth-team scholars.

But Lambert does not see many ready to move up to senior football and thinks there needs to be a policy change.

"Things could be better, there's no doubt about it, and there might be one player who could step up but it's a tough ask," he told BBC Essex.

Lambert took over from Geraint Williams in October and helped Colchester climb away from the League One relegation zone but is concerned about the lack of players coming through the youth ranks.

"I just don't see the players coming through and we need to look at widening the net in our recruitment and examine the quality of players we bring in," said Lambert.

"In my day you had to paint walls, help the groundsman and even wash the manager's car but we can't ask them to do things like that anymore"
Paul Lambert

"It looks okay in the younger age groups. I've been down to see them training and there's some really good players but at apprentice level it's really lacking in quality."

The former Scotland international started his career with St Mirren before moving on to Motherwell, Borussia Dortmund and Celtic.

And Lambert has questioned the willingness of young players to work hard.

"In my day you had to paint walls, help the groundsman and even wash the manager's car but we can't ask them to do things like that anymore and there doesn't seem to be that work ethic," he added.

"I see youngsters driving nice cars now and they haven't had to work hard enough for it. If you work hard then that's fine, you deserve your rewards, but they seem to get it so easily now."

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