Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Howe urges young guns to seize their chance
EDDIE Howe believes a successful youth policy is vital to Cherries and he is urging the club's latest homegrown prospects to seize their big chance.[LNB] Cherries this week put the finishing touches to one-year deals for goalkeeper Dan Thomas and defender Tim Stephenson, and a three-month contract for forward Danny Ings, ahead of the League One campaign.[LNB] The trio are the latest youth team graduates to be given the opportunity to carve a career for themselves in the professional game.[LNB] Brett Pitman, last season's top scorer, treaded the same path with much success, while the likes of Josh McQuoid and Joe Partington have also come off the Dean Court production line.[LNB] Another person who knows all about progressing out of the club's youth ranks is Howe. And he has stressed the importance of clubs like Cherries nurturing their own talent, while challenging Thomas, Stephenson and Ings to prove their worth in the coming months.[LNB] Howe told the Echo: We've seen that all three lads have potential.[LNB] All three need to make big improvements and they need to continually work hard at their games, but I'm sure they will.[LNB] We will give them every opportunity to be successful here. I believe, as a club, we need a successful youth policy to be successful.[LNB] We're always willing to give young players an opportunity to impress so, hopefully, all three will do that.[LNB] They will be given a chance in training and they will be given some game-time as well. The rest is up to them. They have to make football their lives in the coming years.[LNB] The biggest challenge for any young player is to make that breakthrough into the first team. It's the hardest thing to do because you're starting from scratch and you have no reputation behind you.[LNB] To do that, you have to work extremely hard and live your life right off the pitch and make every effort and give yourself every chance to be successful. If you don't, there are so many other players fighting for that same place, you will fall short.[LNB] This is their big challenge now to go on and cement a place in the team.[LNB] When asked how important homegrown talent was, Howe added: It is the lifeblood of lower league football clubs. When you produce your own players, they have a special bond with the club and that never goes.[LNB] There are so many benefits. And if they go on to be successful and other clubs are interested in signing them, the transfer fees will keep the club in existence.[LNB]
