I think its our catchment area that lets us down. Boro also have top class facilities (How did Johnson end up there), and then theres Newcastle. Southampton only have Pompey and Bournemouth to compete against. Keane once had a moan that half of our radius is covered by sea. Heres the link https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/oct/09/premierleague.sunderland
I don't think the catchment area matters at all when it comes to youth, we got Asora and he was wanted by a few clubs, it doesnt have to be North East young ones, I would blame the lack of those on lack of facilities like boys clubs going the journey, and maybe poor local scouting/everything behind fences (schools are like prisons these days).
Our youth systems looking better than ever now. Weve got Asoro who we bought over from Sweden and a highly rated Polish keeper(cant remember his name), aswell as Gooch whos American and Watmore from Altrincham. Im talking about why weve struggled in the past. It looks like weve changed our Philosiphy.
Im talking about the past as well, still can't for the life of me see how catchment area can have a detrimental effect on youth development. 14-15 year old, their coach, "someone from Sunderland is coming to watch you play" kid, " Tell him to **** off, I'm not going there, it's miles away and a ****hole" Already professional players, I can see it, especially those where the WAG wears the trousers.
Feck knows mate im just speculating. The only decent players in my era from our academy not including now have been Hendo, Colback, Waghorn and Bridges. Pretty shocking really.
If he went to Sunderland he would probably end up at Hartlepool anyway, may as well cut out the middle man lol.
Because they're ****ing ****e, that's why. You can't even include Bridges mate, he was before the acadamy. Sunderland release 90% of the kids every season, there's just no development there. It's ****. At least at Hartlepool he'd have a chance of making it. Not a cat in hell's chance would I let him go to Sunderland.
Catchment areas don't aply to us now as our academy is category 1, Category 2 and higher have catchment areas narrowing the poorer the academies become.
Fair enough mate, i agree to a certain extent. What happened to Louis Laing and Egan? I had high hopes for them so maybes your right. I cant imagine Pools facilities being upto much though if the stadiums anything to go by. I only mentioned Bridges cause hes a local lad that went on to have a good career shamefully spoilt by injuries.
Signs have been there that it's improving the last couple of years. I'd be inclined to send a kid to Sunderland now where as I would have dared 2 or 3 years ago. Hard to keep with the count of professional debuts we've given to our academy products recently. 9 I think since the 14/15 Season. That's a hell of a lot than most clubs and probably more than we produced since the academy opened.
Laing plays for Notts County and Egan plays for Brentford. Two full time professional footballer we've produced there mate..
I know. Laing was a England youth player wanted by Man U and Egan got voted Irelands best U21 player or something like that. I thought both would make our senior squad.
Asoro Watmore Gooch Honeyman Greenwood Tom Robson Agnew Pickford 8, apologies. unless I've forgotten someone.
It's rare mate, half of the players we've given debuts from that list will spend the bulk of their careers in lower leagues. But releasing youngsters to professional clubs will still see profit through the tribunals, outright sales even better, So just because they don't become first team successes, doesn't mean the academy faild imo. We're producing professional footballers at a quick rate at the moment. Something to finally be proud of imo.
I actually think the biggest thumbs down to our youth development was the signing of these two from Man Utd.. It's like having a Dyson and not knowing how to use it so rush out and buy a Hoover.. Totally bewildered by it, we had a hell of a U23 side last year, did we not have a RB and whatever the other one is in there? ****ing club seems to get run like the Crabby Patty..
I get this historically but Stockdale is doing fantastic work and there is a whole glut of players about to step up. Academies take time, Boro, Leeds and Southampton, clubs who produce stacks of players, had academies established many years before SAFC. This is happening now.
