Lembikisa was handed his full senior debut in the old gold at Anfield, completing 68 minutes, while Hodge played the full 90 for the second time at first-team level. Collins was watching the game with a closer eye than many, having helped nurture the duo throughout their time in the academy. The under-21s head coach admits it’s ‘exciting times’ for everyone at Compton Park and has praised the performances of Lembikisa and Hodge against the current holders of the FA Cup.
On the feeling of seeing academy players in the first-team
“I’m very proud. It’s exciting times and exciting for me personally, because that’s why I do the job – I love seeing players develop and we try and do our little bit with them and see what they do when they go up there. That’s the best part of the job.
“I think it was exciting all round. The gaffer’s come in and really moved us forward. I thought our performance was excellent on Saturday night and I thought it was outstanding at Villa in the first half especially.
A full @Wolves debut under the Anfield lights. We're proud of you, Dexter 👏 pic.twitter.com/aitI9XClA7
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) January 8, 2023
“What’s lovely for me personally is seeing academy players within that. He hasn’t come in and dismissed the academy boys – he’s come in and used them and trusted them, which gives everyone in the academy a lift.
“It’s what we’re working for and we want a manager who is prepared to give players a go and he’s proven straight away that he is.”
On Lembikisa’s performance at Liverpool
“That will be the biggest game by a million miles that he’s been anywhere near. There’s no more of a cauldron than Anfield.
“I think he dropped the first throw-in, but then he quickly got himself going. I thought he acquitted himself really well.
“I thought he tired and the gaffer made a great decision when to bring him off, I thought it was the right time.”
On the maturity shown by Joe Hodge
“I think Hodgey’s been outstanding. To perform how he has – he looks like a Premier League player as opposed to a young player having a good go at it.
“Great credit to him. If he keeps doing that, maybe the gaffer will keep him around it.”
Away end loving this. 👊 pic.twitter.com/oIIN7aCMiy
— Wolves (@Wolves) January 9, 2023
On the process of developing players for the first-team
“It’s hard getting players into a Premier League football team. You’re competing with the best players from around the world and it’s very difficult.
“I’ve been here about three years now and this is the most we’ve got in and around the team. It takes time and the academy are working hard from under 6/7/8 upwards to get players ready for it.
“Some have to come in a little bit later and that’s part of the academy recruitment. Then we work with them to try and get them ready for it.
“It gives everyone a lift. If you’re seeing success at the other end, the players see it and think they might have half a chance. It gives all the coaching staff a spring in their step when they come into work.”
