i remember a few years ago (prob more like 5-10) there being plenty of talk of the academy as 'the way forward' and our best chance of having quality players at the club due to lack of transfer funds and the amount of investment the academy had recieved. Apparently our academy facilities were top notch and envied by rival clubs,it would only be a matter of time until it started to bear fruit and plenty of quality younsters would come through the ranks. But when i think hard i struggle to think of many players who have broken through successfully into the 1st team and been regular starters, it seems that most end up being farmed out on loan to lower league clubs or released without ever being given a real chance. It makes me wonder what the problem is, have we barely funded the academy over previous years or do we just have a poor coaching set-up/reputation at that level? on the plus side, i know that butterfield and adam look ok prospects- just hope thay are given a chance to prove themselves
Same everywhere. Even Arsenal. In ten years the ONLY player to come through the ranks at their academy and hold down a spot has been Ashley Cole. Most of the foreign lads - Fabregas etc - come in at around 16, almost the finished product; just need a bit of polish. What their academy HAS become is a source of revenue; Bentley, Hoyte, Muamba, Larsson, Sidwell, Harper.....The list is endless - all players that have been groomed by the Arse now plying their trade elsewhere, often with sell-on contracts involved. Gooners must be pissing themselves that they got another payday out of Bentley when Spurs forked out for him!!