JIMMY Phillips cannot offer any guarantees to Wanderers’ out-of-contract players for next season.

More than a dozen first teamers could become free agents this summer but just two – David Wheater and Stephen Dobbie – were named in the side beaten 1-0 by Reading on Saturday.

Phillips handed a debut to defender Niall Maher and has vowed to continue blooding youth over the remaining seven games.

But he admits the choice on who stays and who goes in the longer term will come down to the club’s owners.

“That will be a club decision, not a Jimmy Phillips decision,” he said. “Dean Holdsworth will know what budgets we are taking into next season.

“I am taking the role to the end of the season and if I’m asked my opinion by the powers that be, I’ll gladly give it.

“We had six players under the age of 23 so that’s a sign for how we are going to have to prepare in the future.

“We need that bit of youth and then the likes of David Wheater to create a good blend in the team.”

Another academy graduate, Alex Samizadeh, was named on the bench for the first time against Reading and the young striker only missed out on a debut because of a tactical decision late in the game.

“I was going to give young Alex the last 10 minutes but Peter Reid – quite rightly as well – said that Reading were looking to put more balls into the box, particularly at set plays and big Emile (Heskey) was a real asset in defending them.

“It was just ironic that as soon as we got him on the pitch we concede to a great strike.”