Listened to a programme recently about the worth of the modern acadamies. With the influx of foreign players apart from a few success stories (Middlesbrough was mentioned), the investments have not generally been fruitful. Then I realised that Cardiff did not have a single player in their first team that actually came through from a lad. Even Nugent wasn't fully home grown...came at 17. I know we have had a few successes in the past, but the investment in these clubs is massive. Worthwhile or snot?
I think plans are afoot to make it work. MM has had to buy in a few youngsters to plug a few gaps but home grown is alright by me, home grown is the way it should be, home grown's a good thing, plant that bell and let it ring.
Time will tell but there are some promising youngsters getting games in the Development Squad, John, O'Carroll, Darko, Osh....osh...osh I give up on that one. And don't forget Joe Ralls.
If good enough they will - Ledley, Ramsey, Matthews for example. However, the hard fact of life is that very few, probably under 10% (or even less) of all clubs' academy players make it to become regulars at their clubs - at whatever level that is.
