Wigley praises Academy

As Stuart Pearce was off re-enacting the Great Escape (see right) following Saturday's draw, it was left for Steve Wigley to conduct the post-match interviews and he made special mention of the academy:

"We’ve got a fantastic academy and we work the area probably
better than any side in the North," Wigley said. "They are fortunate that
they’ve got a manager [Stuart Pearce] who puts young players in the team. It
gets easier to attract kids because you can say: ‘Well, he’s playing in the
team’. Stephen Ireland, Nedum Onuoha, Micah Richards, Joey Barton and Ishmael
Miller, they’ve all come through the academy. To try and buy players of that
quality costs you millions. The future is bright."

Particular praise from the majority of the press seems to be focused on Nedum Onouha, and he is certainly the main beneficiary from the decision to revert to three at the back. He never quite looked comfortable at right-back - although feeling his way back to full fitness can't have helped, but has looked far more at ease in a central position.

Hopefully, after falling behind in the pecking order at club and international level, Onouha can now make up for lost time.