It is rather effective chicken farming, though. If they ever used any of the players, then it would be extremely effective. They seem to more than pay for the system.
The whole thing must be based upon stacks of cash and stupidity. Why would a young talent like Mason Mount choose to go to play for a third rate Dutch team? What is that going to do for his long-term career? The football is mediocre in European terms. Half of his team mates are his fellow Academy colleagues. Why not just stay here and go on loan? It's been interesting to see Solanke and Chalobah escaping this summer. They were the jewels of the system and have made zero impact at Chelsea other than top up the coffers a bit. Just as Kane and Winks have energised our Academy, surely, those 2 departures must dampen the mood at Chelsea's Academy? Other than for the national team, it's not my concern but it is puzzling why so many players would commit their careers to a club that has no desire to get them into their first team and will sell them on Iike lucky heather.
Money and the fact that quite a number of them go on to sign for pretty decent clubs. They're offered good terms when they're quite young and they see these players getting time at Premier League sides, albeit not Chelsea. They send out about 30 players every summer on loan. Ok, they're not getting regular time for their parent club, like Kane or Winks, but look at the other sides around us. You can join one of them, sit on your arse and maybe get a game or a loan to a lower league club, if you're lucky. Join Chelsea and you get a ton of money, get a loan to a Premier League side or maybe Ajax, Vitesse, Milan, Betis or Monchengladbach. Then you'll get sold on to someone decent, as long as you impress. I'm not saying that it's ideal, by any means, especially when it comes to integrating their players into the first XI. Ake and Chalobah seem like rather strange sales to me this summer, for example. There are a lot of sides doing far less for their youngsters though, in my opinion.
Chelsea lend Izzy Brown to Brighton for the season. I've lost count how many loans to other PL teams this is now. When will the authorities look into this?
They have to regulate the stockpiling of good young players by the richest clubs. Stockpiling means that players who would have progressed and then thrived at smaller clubs (albeit still at the same level i.e PL) stagnate in reserve or age grade teams or are loaned to teams at a lower standard. In all sports, young players progress by being exposed to high level competition where they have to learn to sink or swim. Cricket is the best example, by way of analogy. Batsmen or bowlers can show great promise playing against their own age group or at 2nd XI level. But unless they are promoted to first XI (and in some cases international level), they don't progress. It's only at the higher level that they hone their skills. This is best illustrated in cricket where weaknesses can be very crudely exposed at the top level and need to be addressed quickly for the player to develop. Graeme Hick was a world beater at county level, but was vulnerable to the short ball against faster, more accurate bowlers at Test level. He didn't succeed, but other players (Jonny Bairstow, for example) had weaknesses exposed, but were then able to go away and work on them and come back stronger. Talented young footballers are never tested (or not often enough) in football and end up playing at the level they have become accustomed to without their skills being honed at a higher level of competition. That's not good for the national game (as many of these players at top clubs are English) or for the game generally.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says some clubs are paying "too much" to sign players and are creating a "very strange and out-of-control" transfer market. laugh or cry.?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40736388 "My question is this: What are Tottenham's expectations?" Our answer: Go **** yourself.
Well said - I might not have been quite so polite! Guess that obvious 'tapping up' could achieve its goal, but personally think the enmity between the two clubs at all levels (including players) may well have the reverse effect and be an added stimulus for next season. Either way the twat needs to keep his feckin' thoughts about our club to himself! And while we discussing the Chavs, I seem to recall someone on here warming to them the other day
I don't post on the PL board, but pop over now and again when I want to witness a pub fight at kicking out time without leaving the house.... Just picked up on Spurlocks comments on this very subject and think they deserve a mention on this thread. Brilliant analogy, mate!! 'Conte sounds like that kid who hates you because you can play freely whilst he can only play if he does his bedroom, his homework and helps his mum stack the dishes..whilst he can see Poch next door playing, smiling and getting lots of love from his father who is just in the background minding his own business with his head in his newspaper. Yeah i get the envy.'