(Not) Keeping up with the Jones's

A major topic of debate amongst Wolves fans this season has been the lackof action for Wolves' Academy graduates.

With the notable - and hugely impressive - exception of Wayne Hennessey, it's not exactly been a barrel of laughs for Molineux's homegrown talent.

And that marks a definitive shift in policy from Mick McCarthy.

Admittedly Mark Davies and Lewis Gobern, arguably, Hennessey-aside, the two with most potential from the current unused crop, have both been injured all season.

McCarthy can't do anything about that.

And the likes of Lee Collins, Elliott Bennett and Liam Hughes are probably still at the stage of their development where going out on loan is the sensible option.

Maybe Stephen Gleeson too, because while he doesn't look out of place at senior level such is Wolves' surfeit of central midfielders that anyone would struggle to nail down a place.

But it is in the examples of Mark Little and Daniel Jones that fans have enjoyed most debate.

Last season Little made 31 first team appearances, of which 24 were starts.

Jones, prior to injury, had made eight.

This season however, the pair have both been restricted to just one appearance apiece as substitutes.

Little continues to go great guns in the heart of the defence withNorthampton while Jones, having already enjoyed one successful spell at Sixfields, has now gone back for more.

And it remains a strange question as to why McCarthy recalled Jones, gave him 20 minutes from the bench immediately upon his return, and then hasn't used him since.

The answer was given by the manager when explaining his selection for the recent Crystal Palace game.

McCarthy admitted he'd considered Jones, but opted instead for the experience of Michael Gray.

The message from this is clear - that with the stakes increasing ever higher as the season's denouement looms into view, McCarthy is more disposed to lean on his tried and trusted rather than take a punt on the exuberance of youth.

That's all well and good, and perfectly understandable, but it does make you wonder about where the future lies for Wolves' Academy graduates.

Last season of course, there was more of a need to rely on the young players because of Wolves' scarcity of resources, and they rarely let their manager down.

It's also interesting to note that no successor has yet been appointed to former Academy director Chris Evans, who departed Molineux for a more senior position with Bolton back in November.

Just as the fans are wondering whether the young players will ultimately make the grade, Evans too will surely be an interested observer as to just how life will pan out for his former charges.