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Riverside training ground can boost Dundee’s talent production line as reasons behind Seb Lochhead’s Wolves move revealed

The Dark Blues hope to be in their new training centre next year.

The proposed community football hub is situated at the city's Riverside pitches. Image: Dundee FC Community Trust/LJRH Architects
Design image of Dundee's new training centre at Riverside Drive. Image: Dundee FC Community Trust/LJRH Architects

Moving home to Riverside Drive will enable Dundee to produce the next batch of talented youngsters.

That’s the plan for Dark Blues owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms following planning approval being granted for their new training base on the banks of the Tay.

The current Dens Park squad has at its heart the produce of the Dundee academy, an academy that has produced four Scotland U/21 internationals in recent seasons.

Three remain key parts of the squad in Josh Mulligan, Lyall Cameron and Fin Robertson while Max Anderson departed in the summer. Goalkeeper Harry Sharp also earned a call-up to the U/21s in 2022.

Dundee academy graduates with the Championship trophy
Dundee academy graduates with the Championship trophy in May 2023. Image: SNS.

‘Paramount’

Producing more of that top talent is the key aim for the Dark Blues and Nelms insists this new training centre will boost their chances of doing just that.

“For Dundee, or any club of our size, I think it’s paramount,” the managing director said of producing young players.

“That’s something that Tim and I have always said, that we want to develop our own players.

“The first group of players that came through our academy – the likes of Lyall Cameron, Josh Mulligan, Fin Robertson – these guys all came through that first group.

“It’s utterly important to us.

“Our academy now is at St. John’s [RC High School].

Dundee owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms. Image: SNS
Dundee owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms. Image: SNS

“We’ve done that because now we can educate, feed, and train the players all within a school day and get all of this work done between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

“It gives time back to the family, which is important, and time back to education, instead of driving around to training.

“That’s something that we think is important.

“This facility [at Riverside] will allow us to have a home and some place where you can aspire to.

“You’re there with the first team. You can see what’s happening.

“And that goes all the way down to the 4-year-olds that will be at Riverside West End.

“They will see that pathway. They’ll see what’s going on.

“We’re very proud of the fact that right now we have U/21 Scotland internationals, an Austrian U/21 international and an England U/20 international.

“That’s paramount to what we’re doing.”

Seb Lochhead

Nelms also opened up on a youth talent produced by Dundee who never made a first-team appearance.

Seb Lochhead was involved with the top team throughout the summer but was whisked away by Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the summer transfer window.

The Dark Blues earned £300,000 plus a series of add-ons for a 16-year-old who hadn’t been in the first-team picture previously.

Seb Lochhead signed for Wolves last Friday. Image: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.
Seb Lochhead signed for Wolves in August. Image: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.

Nelms explained the reasoning behind that decision.

“We never talk about money, as you know, but Seb had opportunity to go to a Premier League club,” Nelms said.

“His family was quite keen on it. And we thought at the time, this is the right time for him to go.

“At a very young age, you don’t know what’s going to happen. So we thought it would be best for the football club, best for the player and best for everybody all around that he takes the next step.

“There’s a load of add-ons and things that go along with that. So the club will continue to benefit.

Dundee youngster Seb Lochhead warms-up ahead of a League Cup clash with Airdrieonians. Image: Ross MacDonald/SNS
Former Dundee youngster Seb Lochhead warms-up ahead of a League Cup clash with Airdrieonians. Image: Ross MacDonald/SNS

“Seb is a wonderful young man. And as he continues to develop and his career grows, the football club will be a part of that.

“I think there’s times that we’ve held on to players longer than we should have, and we’ve learned from that.

“When is the right time to go? That’s the secret sauce, isn’t it? Having that understanding, there is no 100% right answer. You get it right sometimes, you get it wrong sometimes.

“We make the best decision that we can at the time, and that’s what we’ve done.

“The opportunity for Seb to be at a Premier League club and really take the next step, we think that’s fantastic for him.”

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