It is fair to say that since David Moyes returned to [Everton](https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com) in January this year with the club in a fairly perilous position, his focus has clearly been on using the experienced players to get the team out of the predicament. The actual selection of youth players from January has been limited to the following figures:
**Martin Sherif**, 8 times named substitute, 0 minutes on the pitch
**Isaac Heath**, 5 times named substitute, 0 minutes on the pitch
**Harrison Armstrong**, 4 times named substitute, 0 minutes on the pitch
**Roman Dixon**, 3 times named substitute, 0 minutes on the pitch
**Reece Welch**, 1 time named substitute, 0 minutes on the pitch
**Coby Ebere**, 1 time named substitute, 0 minutes on the pitch
Clearly, Armstrong might have featured off the bench a few times had he not had a very (more) valuable time in the first team of Derby County, helping them avoid relegation.
### What can the youth players offer in pre-season?
Those (non) appearance figures of course don’t paint the rosiest of pictures, but as we all acknowledge, the important thing was to climb the Premier League table and we all now know that was done with comfort in the end.
Now the focus changes to our first season at the new stadium and Moyes, with so many permanent and loan departures, now has to build a squad that _**he**_ wants to take the Blues forward. The narrative appears to be that for the first time since before the 2016 appointment of our first Director of Football, **Steve Walsh**, _our manager_ will have a huge say in which players are signed.
The same might be said of who also, within the youth ranks, will be promoted to the senior squad.
In the very short term, looking at pre-season opportunities for younger players, we know already that three of the vastly reduced senior playing squad have been given extended breaks following international duty in June. They are: **Jordan Pickford (England), Idrissa Gueye** and **Iliman N’diaye (Senegal).**
In addition, we know already that **James Tarkowski** and **Seamus Coleman** both have had serious or recurring fitness issues which will likely rule them out of early first-team action. It’s perhaps easier to count up how many can actually start the first pre-season games!
On a serious note, it has given the younger players a chance to get to work with David Moyes and the first team coaches for a period of time in Scotland.
One of those likely to be involved (and congratulations to him on his new contract) is **Isaac Heath**. In horse racing terminology, he has come up on the rails into the manager’s focus. He was voted as Under 21s’ player of the season and is pictured below with his trophy.
I have seen him many times and he is very much a “player’s player”. He’s not flashy, he doesn’t score a bagful of goals (two all season) but he’s literally “everywhere on the pitch”. He grafts really hard, has good pace and stamina and most importantly, with the ball, he can deliver a really good cross from either flank. His versatility will hopefully serve him well. It can sometimes be seen as a negative not having one position but in Heath’s case it is a bonus. He operates very comfortably as a winger or wing back on either flank, as an attacking midfielder or even, at a push, as a full back in a conventional back four.
He is 21 in October this year and, whilst he will still count as an Under 21 for this season if he stays with the Blues rather than go out on loan, he will be a senior squad contender the following season (2026/ 27). So, it’s a _**big**_ year for him.
Other Under 21 and Under 18 players I have seen in first team training footage include:
**Braiden Graham** (striker/ winger), **Martin Sherif** (striker), **Francis Gomez** (midfield), **Jenson Metcalfe** (midfield) and goalkeeper **Doug Lukjanciks.**
My guess is that certainly Heath and I think Graham will see some first team minutes. Interesting that Gomez also involved. He was on loan at Olympique Lyonnais (development squad) till they ran into club difficulties and, on his return to the Toffees in March, he played for the Under 21s and looked industrious and composed on the ball. That’s not forgetting goalkeeper **Harry Tyrer** and, of course, **Harrison Armstrong** who I think we can call part of the first team squad anyway. Good luck to all the younger players, here is your opportunity!