Academy worth it ?

[norfolkngood 1,087]

Not knocking kane as he is a good player BUT we should producing our own strikers and players at 19 imho the academy needs a bl++dy good shake up we need to produce players like everton / spurs your thoughts ???

[Canary02 IV 0]

I think this is why the club is making strides to get us into the elite academy system which allows us to bring in youngsters from all around the country and not just within 90 mins travelling time. Without this limitation we may stand a chance of bringing in the Eadie''s and Cureton''s of yesteryear and it will make youth development truly worthwhile again. As the law currently stands we have a third less catchment area than many clubs because that portion is in the north sea, and with a lower density of population than big cities like Birmingham and Liverpool/Manchester we''ve basically been trying to get rich by buying a lottery ticket. The chances of us finding a Premier League quality youngster are much reduced compared to many clubs and even to bring through the few that we have, the outlay has greatly outweighed the rewards. Only Green and Shackell in recent seasons have provided any real financial return (forgive my old memory if there''s any others we''ve sold on for anything greater than a nominal sum).

[norfolkngood 1,087]

yes i understand what you are saying but we have or should have no compertion for these young players alot more teams in london ,manchester,liverpool you hear our coaches get awards for this and that and players awarded youth caps where does it go wrong from there ???

[City 2nd 191]

Er, how about Chris Sutton - academy trained albeit a few years ago, but sold for 5+ million wasn''t it?

[Mello Yello 2,294]

We''re the Laaandaaaan club''s  development team......Giz yer promising youngsters on loan, we''ll give ''em first team football and give ''em back at the end of the season all fit and raring to go.......or be sold on because they were pump..... 

[norfolkngood 1,087]

i dont know how much it costs to run the academy a year i think we get some money from the premier league or fa but but 5 million + from sutton in the last 20 years !!

[nutty nigel 7,536]

[quote user="norfolkngood"]i dont know how much it costs to run the academy a year i think we get some money from the premier league or fa but but 5 million + from sutton in the last 20 years !![/quote]

Hardly! What about Bellamy, Green, Eadie to name just 3 more...

 

 

[Devils Advocate. 0]

Doesn''t seem to be does it ?. I know that we have Rudd and Steer, but the other "graduates" from the academy do not seem to be of Premiership quality. Is there something wrong with the coaching/ scouting or are we simply unable to find quality youngsters in the catchment area anymore?.

[nutty nigel 7,536]

It''s all changing with EPPP and I believe we will soon be confirmed as a category one academy. Hopefully that will mean we produce more through our academy. But the game has moved on from the 90s and all clubs struggle to produce premier league players. The academies will be like the rest of modern football where money talks.