Originally Posted by
somersetcrewe
I know we’ve had this discussion on here a lot in the recent past, much to the scorn of quite a few, but is it really the tired, out-dated concept that many now seem to suggest?
Perhaps my glasses are rose-tinted but I would suggest it is almost as relevant today for a club our size as it was 30 years ago. You only have to look at clubs like Exeter. I’m not sure how long they have been trying to do this but whatever it is, it is beginning to bear fruit – Tom Nicholls to Peterborough, Ollie Watkins to Brentford and of course the big one, Ethan Ampadu to Chelsea while still 16 (far too early but hey!), and now another 16 year old (Jack Sparkes) has just made his debut as a 2nd half sub. Damn, if they can do it, why should we stop?
If we are going to do anything this year, let’s be honest, it won’t just be because of Daggers, Porter and Raynes. We need our own to step up too – and the early signs are good with Garratt, Lowery, Ainley and Pickering. But the real jewel in our crown is George. If he can have the Nick Powell effect (he needs to score goals to do that though), then I’m filled with plenty of optimism for this season. And even if it doesn’t happen, surely we have the foundations laid for next season or the season after that.
The academy is our future and will continue to be so until football finances take a strange twist or we get that wealthy benefactor. And if current team selections are anything to go by (no loanees!), then I think Big Dave sees it that way too!