Former Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne believes the current crop of Chelsea academy graduates could be as influential as Manchester United’s class of ’92 for the England national team.
Frank Lampard’s arrival has breathed a new hope for the Chelsea academy players to break into the senior squad.
So far, the Chelsea legend has given senior debuts to eight Chelsea players including Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham.
Having seen these aforementioned players repay Lampard’s trust, England manager Gareth Southgate was far from reluctant to hand each of them their England senior competitive debut.
Mount made his England senior debut in September 2019, while Tomori and Tammy made their first appearances a month later.
In addition to that, Callum Hudson-Odoi was already introduced to the England senior team in March 2019.
Mancienne who joined Chelsea as a nine-year-old urges the club to continue the youth push beyond this season.
He told Tribal Football: “I hope so. I think it’s massive for young players to get experience.
“When I was at the academy it always seemed almost virtually impossible to break into the team, which it was.
“But now there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the young boys and I think it is massive, it gives them a lot of hope.”
He left Chelsea for Hamburg in 2011 and witnessed how Bundesliga has helped build the Germany national team throughout the years .
He also believes the current crop of Chelsea youngsters could emulate the likes of Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Gary Neville for England.
He said: “It’ll be massive for England as a nation for young players coming through and getting that experience.
“Just look at Germany what they’ve done over the years, pushing through their younger players and going on to win the World Cup with a young squad and that played together for a long-time. It’s massive for the country.
“Manchester United have done it over the years and have been successful, and I think Chelsea can do the same.”