Barnsley’s kids are all right as Johnson looks up

THE famous phrase “You can’t win anything with kids” is part of footballing folklore.

It is something that will forever haunt former Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen after scoffing at the chances of ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ capturing league glory 20 years ago after a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa, only to receive the equivalent of a custard pie in his face when Manchester United lifted the Premier League title in 1995-96.

For Lee Johnson, taking a leaf out of Sir Alex Ferguson’s book in that 1995-96 season – with a little help from Old Trafford, too – would amount to a similar fairytale.

It may be unlikely that ‘Johnson’s Juveniles’ emulate the United class of that season, but it will not stop him striving to achieve something special with the fresh-faced Reds.

Barnsley’s first-team squad contains a plethora of players aged 20 and under, including highly-rated Red Devils loan duo Ben Pearson and Joe Rothwell.

Another blue-chip youngster has also arrived in the shape of Arsenal midfielder Dan Crowley, whose style has been compared to Jack Wilshere and who has been tipped for a bright future by England coach Roy Hodgson.

All told, just five Reds players are currently aged 24 and under, with teenagers Mason Holgate, James Bree and George Smith aiming to make a name for themselves in 2015-16 along with the likes of Paul Digby and Conor Wilkinson.

Johnson is the first to acknowledge that the youngsters will endure ups and downs during the next nine months, with his evolving Barnsley squad still very much a work in progress.

But his excitement about Barnsley’s prospects this season is genuine.

Johnson, one of just four managers/head coaches in the Football League to be born in the 1980s, said: “The expectations from myself are that we have got to go for it.

“We may fall short, but it won’t be for the want of trying. I do believe our best eleven will be up there with any in the division.

“We were in the play-offs for a bit last season, but fell short for whatever reason. But we have got the model and know what we are doing and will get better.

“I am excited about the season. I know the plans we have got in place.

“I would like us to be two players ahead of where we are. But, by the same token, we are not so bad when everybody is fit.

“If ours are fit, strong and good on the ball and can play the way we want to play, then we will be good.”

Johnson is the first to acknowledge that plenty of work remains before Barnsley’s squad gets to where he ideally wants it to be.

But, equally, he is prepared to hand his youngsters a vote of faith by allowing them to step up and learn on the job in League One and aim to punch above their weight in the process.

Johnson added: “I do think it will take two or three windows, looking at it now and that’s me just being honest. I think we’ve got a good group of players up to a certain level.

“I think our under-belly needs to improve. And just like in any good business or organisation, you have to keep your top 50 or 60 per cent and lose the bottom set and keep improving.

“Sometimes, that takes time and, in the meantime, the young players will continue to improve like we know they will and we will be all right.

“Yes, we will fall short in a couple of games because of our inexperience.

“But we will also win games because of our energy and enthusiasm, which we wouldn’t have done if we were full of experience.”

With experienced hands in Sam Winnall and Conor Hourihane having missed several pre-season games through niggles, Johnson elected to give the captain’s armband to summer arrival Alfie Mawson and admits he is toying with the prospect of letting the 21-year-old lead the side during 2015-16.

If that is not a sign of Johnson’s fervent belief in youth, then nothing is.

Johnson said: “Alfie’s an option for captain, definitely.

“Lewin Nyatanga is a natural captain and the players look up to him because of his age and experience.

“But Alfie is a real captain in waiting. It might be a case of giving Lewin the club captaincy to bring someone else out and give them more responsibility as team captain.

“I could give it to Mawson, Hourihane or Winnall and any of these guys are leaders in their own way.

“Mawson is a definite captain in time and I think a Championship captain.

“We might fast-track him on that, but we will just have to see.”