Colchester United’s young players have been tracked by some “top clubs” this season, boss Tony Humes has revealed.

The U’s have fielded a host of home-grown players in League One this season, with the likes of Sammie Szmodics, Alex Gilbey and Tom Lapslie all catching the eye.

Colchester’s desire to put faith in their academy system is well publicised.

And the performances of some of their talented young players at senior level have caught the eye of bigger teams, according to Humes.

“Our players have to be good enough to progress to a higher level and they will only be good enough by playing out on that first-team pitch,” said the Colchester manager.

“Some of our players have been watched by top clubs – they just haven’t had the opportunity yet to move on and maybe that’s because they’re not quite right yet.

“Maybe it’s that right time, right place that has to be spot on and if clubs are paying a lot of money, then they have to be sure.

“But we’re confident in what we’re developing here as a club and there’s a long-term plan and a long-term programme here, so hopefully our players will get better and better the longer we’re in the system we’re currently in.”

The development and progression of young players in this country was brought firmly into the spotlight last week, following Greg Dyke’s announcement of plans to toughen the rules on home-grown talent.

The Football Association chairman revealed proposals to increase the minimum number of home-grown players in a club’s first-team squad from eight to 12, over a period of four years from 2016.

They are the latest recommendations made by the FA commission, which was set up in 2013 to improve the England team.

“If we could get all of this through, over the next three, four of five years, you could see the numbers of home-grown players going up from a percentage in the high 20s to 40%,” said Dyke.

“It matters that this happens across the whole of English football but it particularly matters to the top end of the Premier League.”

Humes is well qualified to speak about youth development, having worked as an academy coach for 15 years prior to his appointment as Colchester manager last year.

He believes that the best youngsters in this country must be playing on a regular basis for their respective clubs, in order for them to prosper.

Humes said: “There are enough very talented players out there who are progressing with Premier League and Championship clubs to a higher level.

“It’s getting that first team opportunity week in, week out to develop their next step in football.

“There’s a lot of strong talent out there but in order for our national teams to progress, they have to have the opportunity to play a high standard of football week in, week out.

“Whether that opportunity is missed because of the demands and expectations of the Premier League and they think it’s the right time for them, that’s the big thing.

“Sammie Szmodics and Alex Gilbey have only become better players here because they’ve had the opportunity.

“They’ve only developed because it’s been the right time for them.

“Sometimes, that time is missed and players don’t flourish because that opportunity has been missed.”

The high number of foreign players at the top of the game has made it harder for young players at top clubs to progress, something Dyke wants to change.

As a lower league side, Colchester have benefited in the past from such a trend, with the likes of Sam Walker, Sanchez Watt and George Moncur all having joined them from Premier League clubs.

But Humes says the U’s are reluctant to block the pathway that is in place for their own young players - and will only sign released players if they are better than the youngsters they already have.

“Our recruitment team are looking first and foremost at who is available locally so we can see what’s around,” said the Colchester manager.

“With the structure of the club, there’s that pathway and that possibility that young players can come in and get that opportunity but only if they’re better than what we have already.

“We won’t just bring someone in for the sake of it and we want to develop our own players who have that affinity of coming through our academy and progressing into our professional ranks.

“We have to be confident in what we’re developing ourselves.

“We can’t block the pathway for our young players.

“We’ve seen the success of Sammie Szmodics and Tom Lapslie and Alex Gilbey and Drey Wright previous to that, so we’ve got players who have come through the system over the last three or four years who have been the ones who have developed further than perhaps the ones we have taken at 18 who have been used by other clubs.

“We have to concentrate on our players and what we’re producing here.”

For all of the latest Colchester United news, see the Daily Gazette.