Cherries: Groves aiming to bring youngsters through to pro ranks

The experienced coach was this week confirmed as the club’s youth team manager.

Groves’s appointment saw him replace Joe Roach, who last month made a much-talked-about departure following a 10-year spell at the club that saw the emergence of leading talents including Sam Vokes and Brett Pitman.

Former Grimsby Town manager Groves boasts an impressive CV and was recently a member of Avram Grant’s staff during his time in charge of West Ham and Portsmouth.

The 45-year-old, who previously worked with Cherries head of youth Shaun Brooks at Pompey, is looking forward to the task ahead and is keen to see more homegrown players roll off the production line.

Ex-Leicester, Blackpool and Grimsby midfielder Groves told the Daily Echo: “Throughout the whole youth system from the under-8s through to the scholars, I am aware of the work that has been done and the environment that has been set. It is a very positive place to be.

“The club has had a degree of success with one or two players coming through from the youth system and making it into the first team. There is a decent track record there and evidence that, in the area, there is enough quality to get one or two players through.

“I am looking forward to trying to improve them and develop them as players, people and men.”

Groves revealed he had not been set any specific targets by Cherries chiefs and that his initial aim was to assess the apprentices, before giving them an all-round grounding in the game.

He added: “Ultimately, we want to try to produce players to get into the first team. But if you look over history in terms of any football club, the percentages are quite small, but that goes without saying for anybody.

“So, you have a duty to the group to try to improve them and give them some kind of foundation to play football.

“Our aim is to try to produce as many players as we possibly can but to set targets and goals is very difficult.”