James Ward-Prowse ideal role model at Southampton – Mauricio Pochettino

Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino has hailed young starlet James Ward-Prowse as the ideal role model for youngsters looking to make it in football.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed an impact from the bench in recent games, particularly in Southampton’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United last weekend.

And now Pochettino says that the club’s youngsters could learn from Ward-Prowse as a role model in terms of hard work and professionalism.

“James Ward-Prowse is basically an example of the player we are promoting, the player we want to have in this club,” Pochettino told Sky Sports.

“In every training session he gives 100 per cent. He always has an immediate impact in what he does and he is still a player who is growing. He is a figurehead of the sort of player we are looking for at Southampton.

“I am a person who has always given a lot of value to the youth teams in clubs. I was a player who came out of the youth ranks in one of the best youth academies in Argentina.

“Also, when I was managing Espanyol, I was a manager who always liked to push through that academy culture. I really value the younger players in any club.

“One of the main reasons I actually signed for Southampton was the fact that they wanted to push through that academy system. They wanted to reinforce and that went very well with how I view the future of a football club.”

Ward-Prowse has been in excellent form for Southampton, creating 11 chances in eight games and maintaining a 85 per cent pass accuracy rate.