There's a few lads who are probably quite happy about Huddersfield closing their academy now, five of their lads have just signed for Man United.
Where they'll probably still struggle to make the grade. Not a dig, just the reality of academies. Rashford and Lingard are the only recent players to get any decent amounts of first team football.
Even if they don't cut it at Man United, many of the Man United academy players go on to do elsewhere, Michael Keane, Tom Heaton, Josh King, Danny Simpson, Danny Drinkwater, Ryan Shawcross, Robbie Brady etc.
Saw a video of the villagers training facilities set up. How they and their fans must envy us big clubs in big cities which are among the best run in the country.
Think that’s a thing of the past though, all the best kids go to Man City’s academy these days. Didn’t United’s u18s finish well down the league last season?
I’ve no idea about the U18’s, the U23’s came a disappointing (for them) 6th last season, but won it the season before. Edit: Just checked, the U18’s came second last season, beaten by Man City (Northern League, they were fourth overall in the nationwide Merit League, whatever that is).
Hello folks. Didn't see a mention of Brentford in the opening post but we closed down our academy about 18 months ago to much hoo ha. We hadn't produced a 1st team player in over 10 years but since our B team model has been in place we've had 7 first team debuts and one player has earned a 5 year contract. Academies work for some clubs but for us, with Chelsea etc hoovering up talent we couldn't compete with their prestige.
That's exactly why they closed it though isn't it. After a couple of years of working with them anyone decent just got hoovered up by the big clubs and the ones they had left just weren't making the grade. And this is their current strategy. They're putting all their focus on picking up players being released by the big club academies who are not quite at their grade but who could make it with Huddersfield. I'm not 100% sure I agree with the plan but at least their owners seem to have one I suppose.
