Roller has done another fine piece on something called "Elite Player Performance Plan" or EP3 for short. Well worth a read as it points towards another nail for Lower League sides trying to develop their own young talent and the hovering up of these talented youngsters by the so called Premier League Elite......... While Financial Fair Play concerns continue to dominate discussion over the future of Queens Park Rangers, AKUTR’s columnist Simon Dorset says there’s a bigger problem for the club to grapple with. If we can briefly set aside whether we accept Financial Fair Play’s stated aim, which apparently is “to improve the overall financial health of European club football”, is genuine or not, it is has to be acknowledged that FFP has forced most clubs to practise some degree of fiscal responsibility. While it is inconceivable that allowing no scope for any ambitious owners to inject capital into their club the side effect of frustrating the aspirations of smaller clubs was unforeseen, the concept of tying expenditure to income is one that most people can relate to. Read the rest here.....https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/48272/the-greater-evil-–-column
It’s a very interesting article, well articulated. We see many top EPL clubs cheekily, and lazily in my view, cherry-picking young players from teams who have invested in scouting and enrolling young prospects; introducing and teaching them what the football industry is about while developing their skills - only to see them snaffled away by some rich pick-pockets who just have to have the next prospect. Who once they have them, syphon them off on loan with what seems like little care or attention. Look at the number of chelski youngsters who have slumbered in their system. If we are to make a success of our academy, we will need to be very smart - that worries me!! The system needs to change (for the sake of English football). All the talk of developing young British talent, within a system that will not reward the clubs who invest in new exciting talent is riculous and laughable. The system needs to reward clubs for the investment, the employment of coaches, the work with players, the years and the games they put in; sell-on clauses should be the norm for every academy or under 23 player sold to another club (not for released players). If we want academies to work for clubs and for British players it needs to be addressed. If the Football League wants clubs to be able to survive, well shameful that it believes more in FFP than the Academy system and process that could develop more income for its members - stand up and stop behaving like some BOHICA’s (Bend Over Here It Comes Again) to the EPL. Shame on them!!
Really interesting article. I know a few coaches who worked at Huddersfield town when their restructuring went on. It really is a shame for club football in general, especially the lower league clubs. Everyone is looking for that next superstar that could potentially be sold on for millions, in turn financing a club for years to come. If a top club can pinch that potential star for a snippet, then why put resources and capital into that investment in the first place. It's a very difficult game to crack. With the numbers of foreign players, now plying their trade even in the lower leagues, the odds become even less for that opportunity to make it.....unless you are that special talent. Youth team football is a conveyerbelt that churns out disappointment on a daily basis. I bet we all know of someone or someone's kid who is training at a professional club/centre. Will they be still there when they turn 17 or 18. The odds are drastically stacked against them. I've seen it, I've experienced it as a player and a coach and it is heartbraking for some. The game is, as we know, a business. Money is the priority. Another example of this but slightly different is Loftus Cheek. Not good enough to get in the Chelsea side yet good enough to get in the England team by being given the opportunity at Palace. Is Bakayoko really better than him? I very much doubt it. Chelsea loaned how many young players these past few seasons? 30 odd?? Rather than look to what they had in their youth, they buy instead. Same goes for all the top clubs. Cherry pick the best youngsters so nobody else has the chance to cash in on them! Sometimes it comes back to haunt you and rightly so. DeBruyne, Lukaku to name just 2. Granted not English.
Excellent piece - I've sent this to a.pal who is involved at our academy to read and pass up the chain. The PL has a lot to answer for with regards to youth development, hopefully the success of our young players in Russia this summer will re-focus their sights on putting some English talent on the field instead of relying on imports. Already we have World Champions at U17 and U20.level and some of these boys should be forcing their way into first teams - if M'bappe, who is only 19, can play in a WC final, why can't some teenagers grace the first team squads of some PL teams. Maybe the PL should make the clubs have to play two U21s every game?
You have no idea how much it will delight Roller that someone in the club is reading his stuff. Nice one.
A very interesting and insightful article that is writen in an articulate and convincing manner. Congratulations and thanks to the author! It is true that EP3 is much more damaging the FFP. I hope that this great effort provides more visibility to this very damaging practice. By the way, does any one have any info on the status our FFP case and when it will be resolved, and finally announced?
