Sunderland AFC is one of an initial group of 12 clubs that has been awarded its Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) Academy Category today. The club is delighted to confirm that it has been awarded the highest classification of Category One status. The EPPP is a long-term strategy designed to take Premier League Youth Development to the next level. The biggest shake-up in youth football development in over a decade has seen full consultation between the Premier League and its clubs, representatives of the Football League, the Football Association and other key football stakeholders on the best way to advance youth development. EPPP has six fundamental principles, including increasing the number and quality of Home Grown Players gaining professional contracts in the clubs and playing first-team football at the highest level, creating more time for players to play and be coached, improving coaching provision and implementing a system of effective measurement and quality assurance Academies were independently audited and given a Category status of 1 to 4, with 1 being the most elite. Up to 10 different factors were considered in the grading, including productivity rates; training facilities; and coaching, education and welfare provisions. Speaking about the announcement SAFC's Academy manager, Ged McNamee said: "The awarding of Category One status is testament to the professionalism, hard work, dedication and commitment of everyone involved in the academy operation at Sunderland. "This cements our reputation for youth development and will hopefully enhance our ability to attract the best calibre of young players to the club." SAFC's chief executive Margaret Byrne added:"We are thrilled and delighted that our Academy has been recognised among the very best in the country. "Developing home grown talent is a key principle in our club strategy and youth development will always remain one of our core principles. "In recent years we have seen our Academy set up go from strength to strength, producing some wonderful young talent such as Jordan Henderson and Jack Colback. Ged and his team have done a remarkable job and long may that continue. "Sunderland fans should be immensely proud of the Academy today."
Excellent stuff. The academy is vital to the clubs future, and as such it's a delight to see this. We're starting to see some real talent coming through now as well, regardless of my personal opinions on Jordan, still very proud to see him in an England shirt. Big well done to all at the club and the academy staff
The academy players live with families close to the Academy of Light who do a largely thankless job of ensuring these players have a safe and stable environment to live taking on the responsibility of being "Houseparents" to these young men who are often far away from home. Do you know that these families only get paid when the footballer is in residence, if the club takes them away for a week their pay stops, no retainer, no laundry fee's(they cannot let out the room or take in another lodger - the players possessions are left) its a scandal and always grates with me. These are the unsung heroes for me, under appreciated by the club(no tickets given - even on an adhoc basis), rent often has to be pursued, kept on tenderhooks to whether they will be getting another player, having to have Skysports installed so the lads can watch premiership - at their own expense. So when your clamouring for millions to be spent on players, perhaps a few thousand should be spent on these Houseparents first - it's alright Ged McNamee basking in the glory, he needs to do more for the Houseparents, he really does.
Yes it's all well and good being rated highly but, where are the superstars the Academy is supposed to be turning out being as it is rated so highly? I would be "immensely proud" if we could turn praise for how we do things into actual quality players or is that in the long term future as well?
