Wales under-21s boss Matty Jones says he plans on giving Rubin Colwill some 'tough love' in a bid to get the Cardiff City starlet's development back on track.
The 20-year-old has found game-time hard to come by this season, making just three starts for the Bluebirds so far this term - his latest outing being a three-minute cameo off the bench in the recent Severnside derby.
City boss Sabri Lamouchi has insisted Colwill, and indeed Isaak Davies and Mark Harris, has a part to play in his future plans, but the forward's absence from Rob Page's latest Wales squad has only further underlined his difficulties this season.
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Colwill is instead set to take his place in the under-21s squad, alongside fellow Cardiff starlets Oli Denham and Eli King, with Page admitting a lack of minutes was a key factor in his decision.
But the Wales boss and Jones believe a return to the under-21s could prove useful in helping Colwill and, in the long run, prove beneficial to his fledgling career.
"It's refreshing how he's accepted it [going to the under-21s]," Jones said. "There has been a lot of work in the background over the last couple of weeks in terms of communication with the club, conversations with Rubin, myself and Pagey, and how we're going to manage it.
"If Rubin had any type of ego, he would have pushed back on it because certain players don't want that. They all want to stretch themselves. But we see it as support to Rubin in terms of giving him an opportunity to play 90 minutes of football at an international level, which is a great level for him."
Colwill is viewed as a significant talent in Welsh football, having shown glimpses of brilliance on occasion for Cardiff, while he has also produced encouraging showings for his country when called upon.
But for whatever reason, Colwill seems to be down the pecking order under Lamouchi. Injuries clearly haven't helped, but Jones believes the youngster hasn't yet had the chance to get back firing on all cylinders following his recent injury troubles.
"I don't think he's had a run of games to get match fit," he said. "Even under Mark Hudson's era, where everyone sees the potential, everyone sees the talent. I think there's still an element of naivety in support that players need.
"From an element of his game, he's still developing. He's still a young player. He's in the development years and we've got to be aware that he still needs that guidance.
"Senior football can be brutal at times and they can be dropped from a starting position or out of a squad without any explanation. So I do feel a duty for us to show him that guidance to give him that tough love, and maybe we'll be able to frame it, whether it be a different way, or with different terminology and something will click.
"He needs to start fulfilling his potential and we see this as a great platform to do that because he's playing in his own age group."
As Jones explains, there's plenty of incentive to get Colwill firing again. Cardiff could certainly do with an extra injection of attacking quality, while Wales will likely spend the next few camps searching for enough stardust to fill the Gareth Bale-shaped hole in their squad.
But given his experience in first-team football, Jones believes some of the other youngsters coming into camp will also benefit from seeing a confident Rubin Colwill once again in full flow.
"I know it's difficult when compared to the experiences he had at the Euros and the World Cup," he said. "Let's face facts, he's been through a difficult time at Cardiff, and I think we've got to wrap an arm round him.
"Certainly I will be giving him tough love. I spoke to him over the last week about giving him accountability and what he needs to bring to us and what he feels he needs to deliver. What his objectives are coming in on camp.
"Hopefully, my pressure and expectation on him is that he has to be the best player on the pitch. Those are the questions that will be asked of him. Also I think the players around him are going to look at every reaction. Every behaviour. Every move he makes. The lads are going to see that."
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