Since January, Hogan has been the head coach of Chelsea Under-18s, having previously led the Under-16s. Under his guidance, the team has enjoyed a strong start to the year, securing wins in five of our seven Under-18 Premier League fixtures. That has taken us to second in the table, just one point behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur, with the Blues having two games more to play.

Next up for the Under-18s is a home league match against West Bromwich Albion at Cobham, when we will be hoping to continue our push at the top of the table. Kick-off is at midday on Saturday 7 March and Chelsea supporters can watch the game live for free on the Chelsea Official App and website.

Having now been in the role for a couple of months, Hogan sat down with us after a training session to give an insight into how he has settled into his new position.

‘Stepping into the role has been really good, but also really challenging at the start,’ he began. ‘It was a quick turnaround after the new year, I stepped in on a Thursday and we had a game on the Saturday, after the Christmas break.

‘That first period was tough because we went straight into a run of games. More recently, having Frazer [Robertson] step in has been really helpful in terms of support and input. The boys have come through a difficult period with the number of games they’ve had and to still get results in the league has been really positive.

‘Coming from the Under-16s has definitely helped bridge the gap for the boys I’d previously worked with. I understand that group well and already knew many of the players.

‘I’d also worked with the Under-17s in the Premier League Cup, so I’d got to know most of the group I’m working with now. That made the transition really smooth. It also gives me an opportunity to push the Under-16s and bring them through with us as much as possible.’

During his time at Cobham, Hogan has built strong relationships both on and off the pitch, getting to know players across several age groups. We asked how those connections benefit him in his role and help when developing the young players.

‘Building relationships with the boys is probably the most important part of the job,’ he answered. ‘The work you do with them on the grass can be fantastic, but if you don’t connect with them on a deeper level and understand how they work, then you miss something.

‘If you have those strong relationships, you can get an extra 10 per cent out of them. I want the players to feel like they have a strong relationship with me so I can get the best out of them.’

Hogan leads a strong group of players, with regulars featuring week in and week out in the league campaign, alongside Under-17s and Under-16s who step up to gain experience at the next level. The FA Youth Cup also provided opportunities for some of the older boys who feature regularly with the Under-21s.

With a squad made up of players at different stages of their development, we asked Hogan what personality traits he looks for when identifying what makes a strong Chelsea player.

‘The boys have been fantastic to work with,’ he continued. ‘They’ve really knuckled down and they’re a great group.

‘There are a lot of characters and personalities, which I love. When you see how together they are every day on the training pitch, it makes the work enjoyable and helps us support them in their journey this season.

‘At this stage, mentality is a big thing for the players as they progress through the Under-18s, Under-21s and hopefully into senior football. We look at their hunger to win and their ability to perform under pressure every day. We also look at their understanding of the game.

‘We ask a lot of them from a tactical perspective and that prepares them for the Under-21s or first-team environment, where the tactical demands are even higher.

‘It’s really important that training has the same intensity as a match, because that prepares the players for games. If the intensity isn’t there during the week, I don’t believe you can replicate it on a Saturday.

‘We try to create scenarios in training that mirror the challenges they’ll face in matches, so they’re ready mentally and physically. The intensity and standards in training are really important and we want to replicate that every day.’

With a clear understanding of what he expects from his players, we asked what the squad can expect from him as a coach and the style he brings to sessions on the training pitch.

‘I’d say I’m very personable,’ he said. ‘I like to relate to the boys, but with that comes a lot of intensity and demands. The players see that every day. I expect high standards from myself and I demand that the boys match those standards.

‘I feel like I’ve developed quickly since joining the club. The roles I’ve had have been demanding, which is something I enjoy. Those challenges have helped shape me as a coach and helped me understand what I need to give to the players.

‘Finally, of course, like everyone in football, I love winning, so I try to bring that mentality into our training every day.’

Attention now turns to our second league fixture of the week, following Tuesday's narrow loss to Fulham. After that game, Hogan reflected on the team’s form and highlighted the areas he wants the squad to continue improving as we aim to return to winning ways.

‘Our league form has been really positive, especially since the turn of the year,’ Hogan added. ‘Even before that we put together a strong run of wins. The boys have really bought into the mentality of winning and the performances have been positive too.

‘One area we want to improve is taking control of games earlier and for longer periods. Recently we’ve sometimes started slowly and gone into half-time drawing or behind, so we want to assert our dominance earlier in matches. It’s something we’ve been working on and the players have responded well.

‘I always say having a winning mentality is massive at a club like Chelsea. We want to create winners and put the players in situations where they experience high-pressure matches and finals.

‘Those experiences are important for their development and for preparing them to eventually push for the first team.

‘Our goals are very clear. We want to win the league. We’re in a strong position and we have a lot of games coming up where we can put ourselves in an even better place. If we achieve that, it gives us the opportunity to compete in the north against south final, which would be another big objective for us.

‘For sure I am looking forward to the rest of the season. The hard work will continue and we will keep doing what we’re doing and hopefully those opportunities where we are competing in finals and lifting trophies will come.’

Watch the Academy action!

Chelsea Under-18s will be in league action this weekend as we host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 7 March, kicking off at midday at Cobham. Supporters around the world can catch all the action free of charge on the Chelsea Official App and website. To access the stream, either follow our Chelsea Under-18s vs West Bromwich Albion Match Centre below or head to the homepage shortly before kick-off.