Clarence coach’s strategic plan of emerging young talent aims to secure long-term success

With a wealth of young talent emerging, Clarence’s senior coach Grant Fagan is focused on nurturing the next generation of players. Find out how here.

Success is just around the corner for Clarence if the young players coming through are “managed” correctly according to senior coach Grant Fagan.

The second placed Roos have continued to blood the young talent the club has to offer through the senior grade including 15-year-old Louis Sylvester in Saturday’s win against North Hobart.

Fagan said Clarence is very lucky to have so much talent which they can bring through.

“It makes it hard every week, to be prepared and get them prepared but they are just a bunch of competitors these kids,” Fagan said.

“Some of it is coming through before it needs to come through but that’s okay, they are all standing up and doing their bit which is great.

Louis Sylvester will keep his spot in the Clarence line up on Saturday. Picture: Caroline Tan

“It’s never been really managed I don’t think and that is the difficulty of it because there is so much of it that it is difficult.

“But I think the other side of the coin is the biggest thing to manage going forward is the kids understand they’ve got opportunities as youngsters because of our list from last year has been depleted so much.

“So they might need to drop their expectations from time to time and understand that it is still going to be a long process to be able to get up and be a regular senior player.

“If we can get them to do that and get them to hang around then we will be strong for a long time.”

Since Fagan arrived back at the Roos in November, one of his main goals has been to ensure the younger players get plenty of senior games under their belt to build success.

“I have just tried to change the expectation and get the kids to buy into the club,” Fagan said.

“From what I can see, from the outside there has been a bit of soul lost from the Clarence footy club.

“And we now just try and rebuild this and make it a place where people want to stay and be a part of.”

Young Sylvester along with Jye Millward, Jonty Winch and Brad Vincent all debuted against the Demons on Saturday, all four players coming through the under-18s.

Millward booted four goals while Sylvester (nine disposals), Winch (seven) and Vincent (five) all played a part in the 25-point win.

“He is a good little kid Loui, he came up to me last night and I said how did you pull up, did you feel okay at the end of the game and he said on Sunday he was good,” Fagan said.

“He said he just wanted to thank me for what I said about him.”

Both Sylvester and Millward will keep their spots in the line up this weekend against Kingborough.