Narcis Pelach explains ‘duty’ to Stoke City as young trio stake claims Sol Sidibe, Jaden Dixon and Emre Tezgel are expected to have an opportunity to show they are ready to be involved.
Narcis Pelach is working on a long-term plan for Sol Sidibe, Jaden Dixon and Emre Tezgel as he prepares for a first proper look at them on a match day this evening.
England youth international trio midfielder Sidibe, aged 17; defender Dixon, also 17; and striker Tezgel, 19, are on standby to return to Stoke’s starting XI at Southampton in a Carabao Cup fourth round tie (7.45pm) as Pelach makes changes to a starting XI he has been pretty consistent with in the Championship.
They were in a young side that helped Stoke ease through earlier rounds against Carlisle and Middlesbrough, as well as at home against Fleetwood Town, but have had to be patient for their chance in the league. Sidibe has only had one sub outing so far under Pelach while Tezgel has also been used from the bench and Dixon has been an unused sub.
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Pelach said: “Of course we have to be careful always with young players. You can’t just have the feeling that they can go in and do well constantly. Our duty as coaches is put them in the right environment where they can perform and have a programme, have a plan, not just throw them into play so they have a good game, have a bad game, have a good game, have a bad game. That’s not what I want to do, I want to give them the opportunity that is right in an environment that is right.
“I’m looking forward to seeing them. In the training sessions they are doing well. Of course there are lots of things to improve and we cannot go that quick. They are just 17, 18, but we have a plan for them to develop and hopefully in the future we will see them performing well for Stoke City.”
Sidibe, Dixon and Tezgel are training with the first team every day as they wait for an opportunity to stake their claims.
Pelach said: “They are with me at the moment. I decided I wanted all of them with me in our training sessions, in our normal routine. Jaden Dixon, Tezgel, Sol Sidibe, these guys are with us training with the first team. It’s good to see them every day. I’m happy with them but I don’t want to go too quick because we have to be realistic.
“The Championship is very demanding, we have to pick up points and young players need a process to learn and we need to find a balance between developing them and winning points. I don’t want to put them in a bad situation where they have all the responsibility. It’s step by step but I’m pleased with what I’m seeing.”
Fellow England juniors Nathan Lowe and Tommy Simkin are impressing on a season-long loan at Walsall, where Lowe has scored eight times in his first 15 appearances and Simkin – who picked up his sixth clean sheet of the season with a 0-0 draw at Accrington Stanley on Saturday – have helped the team to second in the current League Two standings, four points behind Port Vale with a game in hand.
