Quite an interesting model Brentford are using since getting rid of their academy
How can we say our academy isnāt worth it? Iām yet to see what Kouhyar offers but how can anyone tell Sangha is league 2 at best, heās never played league 1?
In the last 15 years weāve produced.
Ricketts, Fryatt, Deeney and Dann whoāve played in the Prem.
Patterson, Grigg, Henry, Julian Bennett, Mark Bradley in the Champ
Even Darlyn Westlake played Scottish Prem and Gilmartin was good enough for the bench in the Prem.
Kinsella, Roberts, Roberts, Morris, Bakayoko all still playing in League one and Preston and Benning are likely to be back in league one at some point soon.
Itās not bad going really. Probably worth keeping hold of the academy as itās the lifeblood of the team and probably pays for more than it cost to run.
How much does it cost to run though?
Half of every little bit of incomeš
I donāt think we could have miss-managed Candlin any more if weād put Annie out of Stephen Kingās āMiseryā in charge of his lower limbs.
The lad should have gone out loan for at least half-a season two years ago, and then might have been by now the player that we all hoped he was about to become. This Blackburn thing, what a complete farce, probably in the name of penny pinching in order to sign the likes of Martin.
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But sheās his number one fan!
If they were to knock the youth system on the head that would basically be the last nail in the coffin for me as everything I associate with Walsall would be gone. Weāre very nearly there already but that would be a clincher.
The way I see it, and this was something Smith did. Say we have a squad of 22 players. And a budget of 50K per player based on what I know Downing earned when he was here.
I would much rather sign 16 players to the value of Ā£60K and prop the squad up out of our academy than sign 22 players at Ā£50K and that would mean for each of the positions we have 3 senior players and a graduate from the youth team.
We slate Morris etc but the fact is that heās a former youth player with no experience of earning ridiculous wages in Chelseaās academy for example and we need players in the squad like that.
Smith had Benning, Henry, Kinsella, Flanagan, Bowerman, Preston all in the squad as back up to the first team in the knowledge that he had a better quality first team as a result. He would have to throw the kids in every now and again but that gain them experience and they were surrounded by 10 other experienced players
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Dean Smith was Head of Youth before becoming first team manager so he had seen these players develop and knew how to best handle them going forward. Since Smith left that role as head of youth the products coming through the academy have dwindled and any player who looks good coming from the academy appears to be more by luck and natural ability than the way weāve coached them over the last 5 years.
I agree, Smith was head of youth for about a year. He worked with what he had. The difference being that he had faith in them.
I was going to make the point that the team won one of the senior cups 2 years ago. They lost 5-1 and 4-1 this year. And now have no competitive games to play in with us having not entered the league.
At least we can keep them under wraps till theyāre worth something to uncle Jeffā¦
Iām not necessarily saying: āKnock it on the headā but if 50% of all transfer income gets spent on it then I donāt think the return is worth it. People keep harping on about Troy Deeney - he WASNāT a product of our youth system, he was a product of Villaās youth system - we scouted him playing for Chelmsley Town. Perhaps we need to look to pick up older players who have been released by other clubs or find late developers in non-league. I just donāt think the current system is delivering.
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Deeneyās Story is that he was offered a weeks trial at Villa. Didnāt bother turning up to the trial but showed up at the training match on the Friday and impressed. Villa said if heād turned up for the whole week then theyād have looked to sign him. Walsall offered him a trial and the Chelmsley Wood manager dragged him out of bed to get to the trial. The rest is history.
I do agree though, Parker does look like heās got something and heās come from local non-league so there are gems in there.
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It can be said all success was caused by one person, who gave 10-20 percent more to the youth team. First such person was Mick Halsall, second was Dean Smith. Without such person all youth teams (doesnāt matter how it will be called, youth academy, youth system, setup or similar) probably will be ineffective. Itās not a problem with name. It is a problem with good coach at the helm, who would organise his youth team and give that extra percent.