‘It’s something that’s vitally important to the football club’ – Kevin Nugent on why non-league recruitment could help Millwall unearth the next Ademola Lookman.

KEVIN NUGENT described Millwall’s recruitment of non-league talent as “critical,” with the Lions signing several talented prospects who have taken unconventional routes to professional football in recent years.

Ra’ees Bangura-Williams, who has become a regular first-team player in the last five months, was signed from non-league Tooting & Mitcham, while current under-21 players Rafiq Lamptey, Jaiden Celestine-Charles, and Jet Dyer all spent time in lower leagues.

Celestine- Charles admitted to NewsAtDen that joining a professional academy was challenging at first. Nugent advises against overburdening players with coaching too soon.

“I really do enjoy that challenge because the lads come in, and I don’t think we can underestimate how nerve-wracking that can be sometimes for the players,” Nugent told reporters at NewsAtDen. “They come out, and it’s very nerve-racking.

“It’s similar to being an apprentice and being promoted to the first team, or starting a new job. I don’t think we can underestimate the change in their lifestyle, the change in how they have to adapt to being a professional footballer, because they haven’t had a scholarship, haven’t worked their way up the ranks, and haven’t seen how it should be done.

“Sometimes it’s really refreshing because they come in with pure enthusiasm. I believe it is critical in football not to over-coach because you risk losing the raw talent and enthusiasm that they possess.

“Let them find their feet a little. For example, Raf and Jaiden, this season will be important now that they have settled in, and we’ll see what they have to offer us this season.”

Nugent felt both had improved significantly since arriving at Calmont Road last summer, but he has not attempted to shape them into ‘perfect academy footballers’, as Celestine-Charles initially believed he needed to be. Instead, he prefers players who can solve problems naturally on the pitch.

“We film quite a bit of training, not every training session like the first team does,” Nugent informed us. “We film the games.” We use individual clips, but I believe it is critical that we also monitor what we show them.

“We don’t want to constantly show them that they need to do this and that. We will show them small snippets of something. [Ask them]: What do you think you could have done there? Allow them to find the solutions.

 

“What we’ve learnt over the years with the younger players coming through, and in football in general, as many coaches have mentioned, is that players now look to the bench, to coaches, to find solutions.

“What we’re trying to do here is get players to come up with their own solutions for mental awareness. I believe that would apply to any football club. That’s fantastic. Our first team has done an excellent job, and the manager occasionally allows them to sort things out on the pitch or in their own dressing room, whichever works best.

“That is something we must also do with our players. I believe it is also due to maturation. It is an understanding of how the game operates. We don’t show them everything; instead, we question them and allow them to come up with their own answers. We’re still going down that path, but it’s coming from them.”

Nugent specifically mentioned their improved tactical intelligence and flexibility as areas where they have grown.

“If anyone’s watched or listened to any of my interviews, the word you’ve probably heard a lot of is adapted,” Nugent informed the audience. “In this season, we’ve used a lot of players, and the team has adjusted. Positions have adjusted.

“Raf has played left back, right back, centre midfield, and as a ten. Jaiden has played across the front, off the front, and as a centre forward.

“You can actually see a difference. So I can now change Jaiden in the game. If we want to change shape in the game, we can tell Jaiden to get out there, and he’ll get it almost immediately. However, I believe it could have been slightly different earlier on. That still does not diminish his raw athleticism or talent.

The Lions have already discovered a number of highly talented young players in non-league, and Nugent hopes that trend continues.

“The actual recruitment process itself is so important,” Nugent exclaimed. “Lucas [Millgate] is doing this as an emerging talent scout. He’s spent a lot of time looking at his videos, watching games, speaking with agents, and meeting with various people to find those players, and he’s done an excellent job.

“It’s very important to the football club, and they’re there. I have no doubt they exist. Now, you may not get any for a while, but they are available. With me as a coach, bring them in, examine them, and see what happens.

“Take Ademola Lookman’s visit to Charlton as an example. He had been writing letters to various people, and when they gave him a chance, he was sold on. “He’s a world-class player now.”

Read more on sportupdates.co.uk