Midfielder Hinshelwood has benefited from Ruth’s guidance at Brighton and the 19-year-old has featured heavily under De Zerbi and Hurzeler.
Hinshelwood’s direct journey to first-team football was unlike the path of Caicedo, who had to go out on loan and play for Ruth’s under-21s before he was ready for the seniors and ultimately a £115m move to Chelsea.
“Since I took the role when Roberto first came in, not a day has passed when an academy player hasn’t trained with our first team,” Ruth said.
“Passing players back and forth is really normal here. We believe it helps their development and believe it helps in making them get closer to impacting our first team.”
Ruth would like to become a head coach at some point, but he explained that coaches should not be in a “hurry” to secure the senior positions.
“As a 21s head coach, it is a great education. You are almost a filtered-down version of a senior coach,” Ruth said.
“The bits and pieces and the challenges that might land on my desk are nowhere near what might land on Fabian’s.”
The outlook appears bright for both Brighton Under-21s and their coach.
Ruth’s team sit second in the Premier League 2 table behind Manchester City, having lost just one game.
Players are seizing the chance to impress, knowing a first-team career is achievable.
“In the last four seasons we have had more players go on to play professionally than we have released,” Ruth said.
“The stat of young players falling out of football is big, we know. We’re really proud that that’s not the case [at Brighton] and we’re trying hard to defy that stat.”
