This is correct. Tony Pulis has actually done a documentary for Sky called 'Chasing the Dream' and that explains that over 90% of academy kids dont ever play a professional first team game.
Its not necessarily that we are terrible, more to do with the wider system, the want and needs of first team managers who's jobs are on the line and the attitudes of the players themselves who think they're ballers because they play in front of 35 people on a Tuesday afternoon at Rochdale.
As I've said in another post, a pathway system linking to development centres around the area with clear direction from rhe club through to these groups, regular fixtures of high standard, eg other academies, development centres ans JPL sides would keep the kids hooked in and allow for a much wider net to be cast in the area. You could even take them to Holland, France and Belgium for international experience and training camps.
The club would need to be willing to invest in it of course, you'd be looking at a 6 figure sum each year, but Leeds are running development squads and have a higher yield on players making the pro ranks than many. 2 of them play for us, maybe 3 if Coyle came through there.
As far as I know we have a satellite group over the bridge. Thats it.
