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Data Reveals Leicester Manager Best in Europe for Young Players' First-Team Chances Since 2008
January 28, 2018 at 12:00:00 AM GMT+1
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​Leicester City manager Claude Puel has given more game time to Under-23 players than any other manger in Europe's top five leagues, according to recent data.

The Financial Times (​via Leicester Mercury) have compiled data from the 2008/09 season to this season to distinguish which manager gives the most game time to Under-23's, with Frenchman Puel coming out on top.

Puel gave an impressive 28.9% of game time during his time at French sides Lyon and Nice and Premier League pair Southampton and Leicester City across the 10-year period. Southampton v Leicester City - Premier League

The 56-year-old ranked of Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino, who was second on the list with 26.7%, and ahead of the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach's Dieter Hecking, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger.

His tact since his arrival to the King Power Stadium has not changed, giving the likes of Demarai Gray and Ben Chilwell extended runs in the Foxes first team, while the likes of Harvey Barnes and George Thomas find themselves in and around the first team picture.

Speaking on his preference of promoting youth, he said: "For me, it is important always to try to develop young players. If they have the quality it is not a problem to give them game time and to improve with them.

“At Leicester, it is important for me to try to develop some young players for the club for the future of course." Leicester City v Manchester United - Premier League

Arguably Puel's most successful Under-23 player fell outside the threshold of the study, which was Eden Hazard during their time at LOSC Lille.

The Belgian has grown into of the world's deadliest forwards at Chelsea, with the former Premier League and PFA Player of the Year scoring 65 goals and providing 37 assists in 194 league games alone.

Speaking about the difficulty of giving youth players a chance, he said: "It is not easy to try to play young players because, of course, they do not have the experience and sometimes they can play at a different level.

"It is a philosophy but to have the results at the same time is difficult. I am lucky because in my former clubs a lot of players became international players for their country."

- 90Min

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