Downgrade of Academy Status

Don't understand all the fuss about this myself.

Any parent would want the best for his child.

If they had a real talent at football you would think they would go to the place best to nurture it - for them.

Manchester City's academy as been the best around since I was a lad. United's is just down the road too.

The last Bolton lad who made anything of himself in football (as far as I know) was Gary Flitcroft and he went to City's academy - long before all the categorisation of them came out.

I'm sure the parents of the likes of Clough and Vela, etc, knew about City, United and other easy to get to academy's, yet their sons ended up at Bolton's for whatever reasons.

Perhaps the scouts at other clubs didn't rate them, maybe they did but the parents thought being local was best for them but I do doubt that anyone's son is at Bolton instead of City, United, Everton, Liverpool, etc, academys simply because of what class it is/was!

Nothings going to change then imo apart from its running costs.

To be honest in any other business for what good its done over the last twenty odd years or so for the money that's been ploughed into it, it would have been closed down years ago.

Only in footballs Cinderella world of fabulous (unaccountable) wealth do these things even exist.

Don't think the downgrading of the Academy will make one Iota of a difference to us other than reducing costs.

Our academy team was doing OK against the other Cat 1 clubs until several of the better ones were promoted to the first team squad or loaned out to other clubs which implies several things including that the Academy was paying for itself in terms of transfer fees saved.
Remember these kids have beaten the likes of Manure and Arsenal.
Don't like the idea of being almost entirely dependent on buying players in, especially when our finances are shite.
Sure we'll never produce top tier players unless we're really lucky but I do think Vela, Clough, Threlkeld, Walker, Campbell-Young, Wassi, Holding etc have been a worthwhile investment as they've been signed and I did have hope that others would make it although only Campbell, Thomas, Garratt and Cvetko have been offered "extended apprenticeships" rather than pro contracts. Some of the kids brought in by e.g. Dougie are there or there abouts but White, Bolger and a couple of others were disappointments. Woolery may yet make it.

I'm disappointed because youth development can only help us get us out of this mess, even if we end up selling some to the lower leagues.

suicidally stupid. 'nuff said.