From the outside your youth players fail to make it because they never get a run of games at this level. Shaughnessy was helluva raw when we signed him, but within six months looked comfortable.
Can't help but feel game time McInnes has given to folk like Woodman, Ball, Nwakwli (sp?), and probably more, could easily have went to younger players instead. Even Considine should've been dropped every so often so Harvie could've improved, especially after looking superb in the Championship. There's absolutely zero chance he'd have played McKenna if he'd managed to sign another centre half last summer.
Fwiw he had similar issues with us in terms of bringing players through, it was only through absolute necessity, when there was literally no other option, that he'd play youngsters.