Youth academy Yes or No?

[old sage]

After reading that Crewe, the club famed for their ability to produce good young footballers have just announced a loss for the year of close on a £900,000. Their Chairman says that their Youth Academy is still the way forward but I have grave doubts. Since the Bosman ruling the transfer market is in a huge decline. Only the Millionaire clubs in the Premier league are still buying. The rest are mainly begging, borrowing or stealing.

Im afraid that in the greedy age of football that we are currently embroiled in, with money grabbing agents itching to move talent on as soon as their clients contract has expired.

At the Vale I am told that the cost of our youth policy is £2-250,000 a season but looking at the returns we have got is it worthwhile?. Apart from Sam Morsy and Chris Martin who have we produced over the last decade, not a lot and those we have were sold on for 'peanuts'.

What am I trying to say?. Save the money?. No, use the money to bring in two or three good quality players.

Just think if we had done this over the last 10 years, would we be in our current position?. Remember a couple of good proven players in key positions would make a huge difference.

Your thoughts?

[Jimmy]

Crewe have two academy`s though OS.........They have the main one and the kids one that Ray Walker run's........If you are at a loose end this morning pop down the Newcastle College and watch our young hopeful's.....If the Clubs are skint like us the youth and kids teams could maybe unearth a gem one day..........Instead of our Ground and training area sitting empty this summer WE should be inviting kids/youth/blokes who missed the boat to open trials and we might strike lucky.

[PatMustard]

It seems to me that most clubs adopt a youth scheme because it's the accepted thing to do but if we scrap it what takes it's place?Maybe a structure to tap into non league talent.We certainly need a better scouting structure.I also believe that we need a manager in the John Rudge's mould.Someone who is prepared to spend a lot of time watching games.Rudgy had a dossier on most players in the lower leagues and he used this knowledge to bring in key players rather like fitting in the pieces of a jigsaw.I don't think that either Grew or Horsefield posses this depth of knowledge.We eagerly(?) await the board's or Mo Chaudry's(I wish!!)new appointment.

[Twitters]

Yes definately.

[old sage]

Crewe have two academy`s though OS.........They have the main one and the kids one that Ray Walker run's........If you are at a loose end this morning pop down the Newcastle College and watch our young hopeful's.....If the Clubs are skint like us the youth and kids teams could maybe unearth a gem one day..........Instead of our Ground and training area sitting empty this summer WE should be inviting kids/youth/blokes who missed the boat to open trials and we might strike lucky.

Yes a trial for local talent is a good idea but all this time spent 'grooming' young hopefuls at the present time isn't bearing fruit is it mate.

[Andyregs]

I think Crewe would be far worse off without their academy. I suggested that our youth policy was a waste if time a couple if years ago and got slated by everyone. Our system either needs completely revamping and funding or not bothering, and focussing on the best of the premier and ccc discards. Our best young player is Collins who were got this way.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

There is not point running one if it is not done right.

[Jimmy]

Yes a trial for local talent is a good idea but all this time spent 'grooming' young hopefuls at the present time isn't bearing fruit is it mate.

 

 

Not just locals though OS......Do a Matthews invite all and sundry. We had people coming from across the Globe in his day at their own expence.........Open the doors i say, if they think they are good enough lets have a look. It worked in those days we had the youngest forward line to ever play a league game and that record still stands.

 

And as i stated before some players have missed the boat.........Lets trial them and give them a second chance. I for can not understand why our fantastic facilities remain dormant during close season.

[grebovale]

Am afraid to say that the youth academy( in this league) is to expensive to run,how many coaches do we employ for the return,and as been said even Crewe who had one of the best have lost over £800,000 this season,they can't sustain them kind of figures,no club in this league can....

[old sage]

Not just locals though OS......Do a Matthews invite all and sundry. We had people coming from across the Globe in his day at their own expence.........Open the doors i say, if they think they are good enough lets have a look. It worked in those days we had the youngest forward line to ever play a league game and that record still stands.

 

And as i stated before some players have missed the boat.........Lets trial them and give them a second chance. I for can not understand why our fantastic facilities remain dormant during close season.

I well remember that young forward line sadly Cullerton apart they never made the grade and Cullo had to go to Stafford to establish himself.

I think a good scouting network could bear fruit though.===

[Jimmy]

Micky Cullerton, Alex Donald, Roddy Georgeson, Paul Bannister, and Paul Ogden)

[chefchenko]

i thought it was a rule that you had to have an acadamy ??

[Jimmy]

i thought it was a rule that you had to have an acadamy ??

 

No....................

[grebovale]

You either need to have a long term strategy which requires increased year on year funding or there's no point bothering in my opinion. Despite Crewe's success in years gone by their pool of talent seems to have lessened, they're not producing as many household names as 10/20 years ago and that's with all the money they spend.

 

It's becoming harder and Vale will struggle to compete with Stoke on their doorstep as they are throwing big money at their Academy, even to the point where they are importing young talent from around Europe such as Smajl Suljevic a young Swedish 16 year old.

 

I think a club in Vale's position would be better of forming ties with a couple of Premier League clubs such as Everton and Man City, all parties could then benefit from young talent cutting their teeth at Vale in the hope that someone like Jermaine Defoe comes along who scored goals for fun as a young lad at Bournemouth.

 

Secondly, a portion of the money spent on the youth system could go on boosting the scouting network and unearthing gems such as Ian Taylor from non-league football. The talent is definitely out there it just requires hard work and watching a lot of games.

 

It's an emotive subject as every fan wants to see local youngsters pulling on the shirt for the first team but clubs like Vale have to be pragmatic about these things if there are better options available.

 

Obviously with a new owner and long term sustainable investment it could be a different story I guess........................

 

We could borrow some stoke players if you pay their wages .. :D:D . I know a lot of VALE fans wont like that but if they got us promotion who care's and we would welcome some of your fans(as long as they don't ware their stoke tops :rolleyes: ).

[grebovale]

In fairness take away the emotion of the fact that the two clubs are miles apart on and off the pitch at the moment it would benefit both parties. I'd be all for it but some Vale fans would obviously rather stick pins in their eyes than takes Stoke's "cast offs" :D

 

They will stick pins in my eyes for suggesting it .....:blink: