| Cradle of talent? 08:02 - Jul 16 with 1698 views | Yossarian |
Last night's friendly and the well-meaning, but comical anthem rendition brought the lack of home-grown first team players into sharp focus for me. Over the years many have claimed that this area is a cradle of footballing talent and whilst it cannot rival the North East, Merseyside and East London for the numbers who make it into the professional ranks, I tend to think we are still under-performing in terms of getting local boys through to first-team contention. I appreciate that historic comparisons are dangerous, but in our first spell in the top flight we had Wyndham Evans, Chris Marustik, Dudley Lewis, Nigel Stevenson, Colin Pascoe, Darren Gale, Robbie, Curt, Charlo, and a few peripherals like Chris Sander, Jimmy Loveridge etc. With the money spent on the Academy and the greater organisation and professionalism given to the junior levels at the club, I think it is a legitimate question to ask why we haven't had a better return on this massive investment? In terms of our recent successes, Joe Allen is from a middle-class family in Tenby and Ben Davies' upbringing can't be described as working class. As the local kids get picked up at a very young age, and our recruitment now extends far beyond the city, you can't totally blame the decline of the local leagues, and so I wonder if there are other reasons for the relative lack of success of lads from local working class backgrounds? Some might say there might be a decline in work ethic and hunger, but the decline of working class boys and girls progressing in their chosen fields is a growing phenomenon in our society. Is there something else going on that might explain it? |  |
| "Yossarian- the very sight of the name made him shudder.There were so many esses in it. It just had to be subversive" (Catch 22) |
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| Cradle of talent? on 09:52 - Jul 16 with 1563 views | Kilkennyjack |
You have done it now mate, you are not allowed to ask that one.
The happy clappers on here dont like this discussion.
I encourage you to keep asking it though. It needs to be asked.
In the last couple of weeks we have signed irish and icelandic youth players to compliment our many scottish players. |  |
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| Cradle of talent? on 10:16 - Jul 16 with 1509 views | Yossarian |
Cheers. The thread is not in any way having a go at anyone born outside Swansea - anyone's contribution to keeping us in the PL is to be welcomed. I just can't help wondering why we can't get any lads from the region within reach of the First Team squad at the moment- that's all. | |
| "Yossarian- the very sight of the name made him shudder.There were so many esses in it. It just had to be subversive" (Catch 22) |
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| Cradle of talent? on 10:18 - Jul 16 with 1498 views | Loyal |
| Cradle of talent? on 09:52 - Jul 16 by Kilkennyjack |
You have done it now mate, you are not allowed to ask that one.
The happy clappers on here dont like this discussion.
I encourage you to keep asking it though. It needs to be asked.
In the last couple of weeks we have signed irish and icelandic youth players to compliment our many scottish players. |
I've never Happy clapped anything mate. |  |
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| Cradle of talent? on 10:23 - Jul 16 with 1476 views | Kilkennyjack |
| Cradle of talent? on 10:18 - Jul 16 by Loyal |
I've never Happy clapped anything mate. |
Agreed. | |
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| Cradle of talent? on 12:29 - Jul 16 with 1321 views | Dewi1jack |
| Cradle of talent? on 10:16 - Jul 16 by Yossarian |
Cheers. The thread is not in any way having a go at anyone born outside Swansea - anyone's contribution to keeping us in the PL is to be welcomed. I just can't help wondering why we can't get any lads from the region within reach of the First Team squad at the moment- that's all. |
Good questions.
We've been bringing young 'talent' in from everywhere since we had that lovely day out in May, bringing us back to the so-called promised land.
And in the PL years, I can only think of Ben coming from the academy/ youth sides to play regular first team football.
Before that, Joey
Seems someone is wasting money on 'prospects.'
Can't be good prospects if they can't come close to dislodging the likes of Barrow, VDH even an ageing Angel |  |
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| Cradle of talent? on 12:37 - Jul 16 with 1296 views | Private_Partz |
| Cradle of talent? on 12:29 - Jul 16 by Dewi1jack |
Good questions.
We've been bringing young 'talent' in from everywhere since we had that lovely day out in May, bringing us back to the so-called promised land.
And in the PL years, I can only think of Ben coming from the academy/ youth sides to play regular first team football.
Before that, Joey
Seems someone is wasting money on 'prospects.'
Can't be good prospects if they can't come close to dislodging the likes of Barrow, VDH even an ageing Angel |
Should we consider scrapping the acadaemy in its entirety? Concentrate on a squad of 20 or so quality players. The money saved could then be brought in to build a worldwide scouting network. As a selling club we could then reap profits from selling on talent and bringing in hungry and new players.
I am asking the question as I don't know the answer but it does seem an option to me. |  |
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Help your fellow man.
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| Cradle of talent? on 15:27 - Jul 16 with 1197 views | Yossarian |
Worth thinking about- it isn't heresy to wonder how the money invested in the club is being spent wisely, but it's also worth wondering if the current and next generation of young homegrown talent is going to be worth anything to the club in the long run? A lot of people have made a very nice little niche for themselves in the academy. I think the yanks are going to want to see returns sooner rather than later....or heads might roll.... | |
| "Yossarian- the very sight of the name made him shudder.There were so many esses in it. It just had to be subversive" (Catch 22) |
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| Cradle of talent? on 15:56 - Jul 16 with 1161 views | Kilkennyjack |
Its an important debate for a club of our size.
Its a multi million pound debate.
I am pro-academy producing local players.
Interesting Exeter produced Grimes (i know !) and young Ampadu without millions to invest. Similar to us with Macca, joey, and ben.
These 3 are all international and premier league players, of course.
And now we seem content to invest millions every year and make excuses. Its too soon to judge etc. Its 7 years.
How many of our Academy coaches are the very best we can get ?
If the facilities and the fixtures are in place, then you have to focus on the quality of coaching, dont you ?
Easier to blame the young local players of course. They have no voice. | |
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| Cradle of talent? on 16:33 - Jul 16 with 1114 views | Glyn1 |
It's like British industry in general.
It's less expensive for a small- or medium-sized company to bring in trained workers from other parts of Europe rather than create an apprenticeship scheme to train local people. Seriously, if you were a firm's board of directors why would you do that? |  |
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| Cradle of talent? on 16:41 - Jul 16 with 1093 views | Yossarian |
| Cradle of talent? on 16:33 - Jul 16 by Glyn1 |
It's like British industry in general.
It's less expensive for a small- or medium-sized company to bring in trained workers from other parts of Europe rather than create an apprenticeship scheme to train local people. Seriously, if you were a firm's board of directors why would you do that? |
Interesting analogy, but it falls down when the reality is that we are not bringing in the finished article- far from it. | |
| "Yossarian- the very sight of the name made him shudder.There were so many esses in it. It just had to be subversive" (Catch 22) |
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