Regardless of peoples thoughts the Swansea City academy structure is still producing players and continues to offer hope to a whole ensemble of young men. To see a Wales side full of Swansea academy products in Connor Roberts, Joe Allen, Ben Cabango, Ben Davies, Joe Rodon, Dan James ( under 18 academy side ) and numerous others over the years is heart warming.

We can even include Shaun Macdonald, Jazz Richards and Richard Duffy but that’s taking our eye off the current ball in play. Although comparisons of them to the current Cardiff City academy crop shouldn’t be ignored, that’s the standard. Today we see Cabango still at the club and playing in a centre back role,mostly, but nowadays there’s a bit more to talk about. Liam Cullen has worked relentlessly to develop himself under the guidance of Russell Martin, a player much maligned by many of us until the hard work and persistence paid off. And it continues to do so, under Russell Martin he has flourished through loans away from the club and by knuckling down and taking on board his coaches words. A full Welsh international call up is now very close.

Swansea City don’t have to shout about potential or put forward names as top quality academy products, they let the production line do the talking. Ollie Cooper is another huge player for Swansea City, a midfield dynamo with energy and he scores goals. Another who benefited from the clubs loaning strategy before breaking into the first team. Another ex academy product, the retuning Joe Allen is also there now to offer his vast experience to both Cullen and Cooper. Cameron Congreve continues to feature in the fringes of the first eleven, more so the squad itself, a player with huge potential we are sure we will all see next season.

Brandon Cooper is currently out on loan, his fourth loan spell this time at Forest Green Rovers, now twenty three he is at his professional crossroads, everything he does for the rest of this season will impact on the next. All these players and more are reaping the rewards of endeavour and hard work all learned via the Swansea City academy. Work that the manager insists upon, from the basics of simple time keeping to adopting an attitude which reflects a team player, and a valuable member of the squad. Qualities forgotten by certain players sitting their final Swansea days out on the sidelines, and to be honest quite rightly so. Nobody wants people in their team who are unable to put the effort in to be selected for the team or downing tools because they want more money.

It’s a disgusting attitude for young players to see.

The Swansea academy is doing fine, it passes on the fruits of years of labour to the first team in far bigger numbers than any other academy in Wales. And of a far higher quality. Make no bones about it, some will always disagree but this is a structure and a process many fans of other clubs would love to have. To see all these players flourish and have positive football careers after years of progress is wonderful to see. And of course to see two of those players scoring the goals which earned their team three points yesterday is proof enough the academy system works.

And it will for years to come.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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