Jose right to protect youngsters – Nevin

By Owen Phillips 05/05/2015

Former Chelsea star Pat Nevin says Jose Mourinho was right not to throw the club’s talented youngsters in to the intense pressure of the title race.

Nevin, who played for the club for five years during the 1980s and is now a respected pundit, said the Blues boss needed to think about the long-term futures of players like Dominic Solanke, Nathan Ake and Rubén Loftus-Cheek.

“Chelsea have truly talented players coming through,” Nevin told West London Sport. “But the jump up from an Under-18 team or an Under-21 team to the Premier League is unbelievable.

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“I wouldn’t want to throw someone in and see them get blamed if it went wrong.”

England youth international Solanke made his senior debut as a substitute in the 6-0 Champions League demolition of Maribor earlier this season and has been involved with the first-team squad several times.

Mourinho nevertheless opted for the experience of Didier Drogba to replace the injured Diego Costa and Loic Remy for the title run-in as his team clinched the Premier League title.

But Solanke, Nathan Ake, Loftus-Cheek could all be involved in the final three games of the campaign.

Nevin added: “Dominic is a name that has been mentioned; he is confident, mature, and has all the technical and physical attributes.

“But throwing him to lead the line is a massive ask, even more of an ask to do it for a team chasing the title. The jump from youth football to the top end of the Premier League is extraordinary.

“It is not a reflection of the quality of the kids Chelsea have got. Plenty of those kids could have a really good career in football.

“And some of them could do it at Chelsea, but it is too much to ask in those circumstances – especially for a 17-year-old striker.”