Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is unapologetic over the Blues shortcomings when it comes to fast-tracking young English talent into his team - in direct contrast to Sunday's opponents Southampton.
The 50 year-old Blues boss said: “It’s a question of time and the smaller clubs, they have more time than the bigger teams.
“It’s a different club [here] and a different job. I want to do it but it is just a question of time.
“Hopefully — and I am not saying a lot of them, especially at the same time as that is impossible to do — but step by step we have some kids with talent to come.”
Their south coast visitors led by Mauricio Pochettino have a long-standing reputation for producing and nurturing young stars.
Ex-academy graduate and Saints captain Adam Lallana won two England caps in November with Southampton’s impressive start to the season bolstered by English fledglings such as Luke Shaw, James Ward-Prowse and Calum Chambers.
Mourinho, however is unrepentant that the only graduate of Chelsea’s academy to start the game today is 32-year-old John Terry, saying: “I am not worried.
“I am came here to do my best, knowing that this team and squad would not be ready to achieve what people probably think we have to achieve. I was always told that my job this time would be a completely different job profile and I do my work the best way I can.
“I have maturity so that when I have a bad result or a defeat, I do not feel fragility or pressure.
“I know what I was told during the contacts with Chelsea before we decided to work together again, and I am the one who puts pressure on myself.”
