Much money has been spent on our academy. Anyone on here remenber when Peter Reid said he was scared about the lads coming through? None really have - except Jordan. Plenty is invested in the juniors. Laing, Noble are supposed to be class, so whats wrong? If you're good enough you're old enough, yet absolutely diddly comes through. WHY? x
In my opinion, one of the reasons is that fans, the media etc expect instant success, young lads never get a run in the team anymore. Mon had the chance at the end of last year to blood some youngsters but didn't. One bad game these days and you are written off. One great game and it's an England call up. 24-7 media etc. Look at our young first choice strikers. Ji, Wickham etc, what is the longest run either has had?
But Tony. Manure, Everton, Liverpool etc give good young-uns a start. We have had nowt coming thru. The academy is supposed to be a beacon of excellence, but ours is crap. x
Reckon it's a balance thing, have a couple of young uns being brought on by the older guys. Takes time unfortunately but Henderson and Colbeck are/were worthy first team players.
Got to disagree. The academy has always produced lads who have played for England, Scotland and Ireland under 17's, 18's, 19's and 21's. We have Colback who is a current first team player, noble and Laing who are on the fringe of the first team. It has also produced players who have brought quite a bit money in to the club when sold, Henderson £20 million, Waghorn £3 million, Leadbitter £2.6 million, Kyle £600k, Alnwick £900k. A few when released are snapped up by lower division clubs immediately., so the quality is there, just most not up to the quality of the best league in the world, the premiership. If our academy produces one player good enough to play in the premiership every couple of years, I would say that is a success.
Well said. who are the more current academy products currently holding down a ( regular) spot for a top 10 or even premier league team. When fit. I know there's more than this but lets try and name those under 25 plying their trade and see who developed them. Welbeck Jones Osman Rodwell? Walcott Wilshere Spearing Bannan Albrighton Henderson Colback Johnson
The AOL is a long term investment and will produce good players regularly in time. Like most things we want now now now, the young uns will come good and I reckon all we need is a top coach to bring them on Spanish, Dutch even.
The academy is about more than bringing players through for the first team, selling on player, 200k here, 500k there even, is great for the club, not to mention the bigger sales, as mentioned above. Colback is there, Laing I think is going to be a top, top player, we have Billy Knott, admittedly not all our academies work, but the baton has been picked up and he has genuine talent, the academy is doing very well. It takes a good 10 years, at least, to establish a top class academy, considering around £30million in sales, it's going great guns.
The academy is about more than bringing players through for the first team, selling on player, 200k here, 500k there even, is great for the club, not to mention the bigger sales, as mentioned above. Colback is there, Laing I think is going to be a top, top player, we have Billy Knott, admittedly not all our academies work, but the baton has been picked up and he has genuine talent, the academy is doing very well. It takes a good 10 years, at least, to establish a top class academy, considering around £30million in sales, it's going great guns.
