Sulaiman, who has been at Chelsea since 2008, took charge of the side in February 2023 and in his maiden full season, claimed the Blues’ first Under-18 Premier League southern crown since 2018.

The title was secured on Tuesday with a game left to spare when goals from Ato Ampah and Frankie Runham helped our boys to a 2-1 victory over Southampton.

Sulaiman said: ‘This definitely ranks at the top [of my coaching achievements]. I am delighted, it is a massive achievement.

‘I am buzzing and I am buzzing for the boys and for everyone involved. It's not just me that has helped put the team together. There is a great group of staff who challenge each other and who have ideas and good experiences of their own.

‘I am the captain of the ship but it is all of us coming together to make sure that we make decisions that can produce positive results.

‘It is also not just the result but also helping the players to improve as individuals. I think you've seen that with the amount of boys who have been on the bench for the first team and the boys who have made debuts. I think that's a testament to all of the coaching staff and certainly to the talent that we've got in the group.’

Saturday saw our Under-18s’ first league defeat since October and only the third of the season when we lost 2-1 at home to Norwich City.

It meant we headed into yesterday’s match knowing victory in either the game with Southampton, or Saturday’s final league contest against Arsenal, would be enough to land the trophy with a five-point lead on second-placed West Ham United.

Sulaiman was speaking just hours after claiming the crown and when asked how it sounded to be called Under-18 Premier League South champions, replied: ‘Yeah it sounds incredible. But it is incredible because it takes a lot to win the league and to perform at a high level consistently.

‘When you look at the boys, they manage to do that and even if their performances aren't always as clean or as perfect as you would like, it requires character to be able to get over the line and win the league. So yeah, it sounds amazing.’

Sulaiman believes the competitive nature of the squad – along with their obvious talent – was key to their title success.

He praised his players’ game management against Southampton and explained how it was stressed pre-match ‘never to count your chickens before they hatch’, with dangerous Saints and Arsenal teams lying in wait.

Sulaiman has been working with the current group since the Under-14 level and the squad have been victorious together previously, last winning the Under-16 Premier League.

‘Once you've tasted that success in the past, it only fuels your desire to want more,’ he said.

‘They understand the fight, the character and the charisma that it takes. They know that in the last minutes, you've got to try and give everything. And they showed that in this game, in their actions, out of possession, what it took to press, what it took to be disciplined, what it took to manage the game.’

With the 2023/24 campaign his first in charge of the Under-18s, it was put to Sulaiman that a title win might have exceeded his expectations.

‘No, I always believed in this group of boys,’ he replied. ‘I've coached these boys every season since the Under-14s, so naturally I've built a real good connection with them.

‘I've seen them at their most vulnerable state and I've seen them in their best state. So it was extra special because I've seen the growth and the maturity in them.

‘So it didn't exceed my expectations only because I knew what they were capable of. Winning the league is what I expected from this group.’

Chelsea will now face Manchester United in the Under-18 Premier League final after the Red Devils topped the northern division.

The match is on Tuesday 14 May at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 7pm) with tickets now on sale

Sulaiman said: ‘We're looking forward to the game with Manchester United. We've had a great season so far and of course you want to cap it off. We are really looking forward to it.’