- Steve Beaglehole discusses the value of his Development Squad stars being integrated into first team training in Évian
- A number of youngsters joined Claude Puel’s men during their second week of pre-season
- Beaglehole spoke highly of the mental strength they showed alongside seasoned professionals
A handful of Academy graduates and members of the Development Squad linked up with Claude Puel’s men for six days of pre-season training on the French-Swiss border.
Beaglehole was able to see first-hand how they performed alongside the Club’s first teamers in an entirely new environment.
Beaglehole told LCFC TV: “I think they’ve done tremendously well. I’ve been really, really pleased with them. In all honesty, I don’t think they’ve looked out of place and I don’t think the sessions have dropped off because of their involvement.
“I’m really pleased and there’s a lot of people that have put a lot of effort into developing those players – the younger coaches at the Club and the recruitment people for getting them in.
“That’s the last rung before they hopefully move on and become fully-fledged first team players. Obviously, they may not all do that but I would think that the group out here will all play at a really good level.
“I think it’s been brilliant that the manager has involved them because he has played a big part in the development of players like Barnesy (Harvey Barnes) and Hamza Choudhury.”
Alongside displaying their quality, Beaglehole believes their mental strength has also shone through in south-eastern France.
He continued: “A lot of it is down to whether you have the mental strength and toughness to train in and around really top players – players that are international players.
“To be involved in their sessions with the tempo and the skill of which they show in sessions is a nervous thing for them.
“I’ve been so pleased that mentally they’ve stood up to it, and technically and tactically they’ve stood up to it. That’s credit to the players that are here – I’m really pleased with them.”