Yep, agree. Another thing forgotten is the impact these players have on the first team. For example, the key role Kalvin played in the promotion season. A season that earned the club over £100 million. Suppose I'm saying that they add value on the pitch too. The season just gone I'm guessing each match day squad had at least 8-10 players who have played academy football for the club. Imagine the cost of replacing them.
I guess it’s how you judge success. If it’s to make a profit on the young players then we’re just about ahead going by figures quoted, all be it that you can’t buy a decent forward for 13.5 million. If the idea is to produce players for the first team how do you all feel on whether we are achieving that?
I’m only going 3 and that’s dubious as Meslier was brought in for 5 million and Summerville was bought in. I’m not having Gnonto so If I’m being harsh, only Archie can be considered fully home grown.
That's the reality of a youth setup. Clubs buy prospects cheap to develop and sell on for profit later. Meslier, Gray, Summerville, Gnonto and Georginio were brought in as prospects for the future (the club said as much about all these players). They all played a key role last season and are probably worth over £100 million today. They cost less than £50 million. That's just the state of football today.
Georginio supposedly cost us 35 million, hardly an academy buy and technically they’ve all been developed at other academies, with the exception of Gray.
Don't shoot the messenger. Both Marsch and Allardyce said Rutter was for the future. He played more academy football than 1st team football when he arrived.
If we are not counting Rutter it means the academy have made 35 million more profit than previously thought.
Charlie Crew made his debut for Wales today. He's another academy lad who is now a full international.
Doesn’t mean he’ll make it, very few do, look at Geldhardt. And let’s face it, in the Bielsa days, loads made the bench because there was no one else left.
Doesn't mean he won't make it either. Merely pointing out the fact that one of our 18 year olds has made his debut for the Welsh national side. Thought that was a positive for our club.
