A moral obligation to keep hold of the academy players

[Young_Nudger]

That’s Bobby Hassell’s view of the young lads in the academy.
Good Christian values from Christian Bobby.
But - football being the cut throat business that it is - are those values misplaced?

[EthelRed]

Morality is a word and a concept that totally bypasses our owners I'm afraid.

They understand the concept of Pounds, Dollars and Euros well enough though.

[SBRed48]

Melissa Murphy (who happens to be Dane's wife) managed to secure the newly created role of Chief Operations Officer at the Academy some months ago so it would be helpful to hear her views.

[animallittle3]

An Academy is only as good as the players it's producing for the first team .

That's the only moral in town given it doesn't operate on fresh air .

The costings and what it produces towards the first team have to be analysed and assessed .

I don't think I'd be wrong in saying that since it's inception in the late 90's the club are actually out of pocket , in other words it's cost more than it's brought in .

Don't get me wrong I'm not pointing the finger at the club because it's incredibly difficult to find and produce young talent when big PL clubs mop up the cream of the crop at youth level and you also have the added addition of a more global game with english lads competing with foreign kids .

The club possibly have to make do with the runts in the litter and make the best of it .

I'm afraid Mr Hassell is rather naive with his statement .

We'd all like nice little cosy jobs protected from the harsh realities of capitalism , the classic nice number .

Maybe moral obligations need a bit more prayer Bobby in this day and age and the Patrick Cryne dream with its protectionism is long gone .

[Young_Nudger]

An Academy is only as good as the players it's producing for the first team .

That's the only moral in town given it doesn't operate on fresh air .

The costings and what it produces towards the first team have to be analysed and assessed .

I don't think I'd be wrong in saying that since it's inception in the late 90's the club are actually out of pocket , in other words it's cost more than it's brought in .

Don't get me wrong I'm not pointing the finger at the club because it's incredibly difficult to find and produce young talent when big PL clubs mop up the cream of the crop at youth level and you also have the added addition of a more global game with english lads competing with foreign kids .

The club possibly have to make do with the runts in the litter and make the best of it .

I'm afraid Mr Hassell is rather naive with his statement .

We'd all like nice little cosy jobs protected from the harsh realities of capitalism , the classic nice number .

Maybe moral obligations need a bit more prayer Bobby in this day and age and the Patrick Cryne dream with its protectionism is long gone .

Nope.
We’ve had a few good uns from the academy.
And how the directors are shaping things up - by investing in young players - then we are likely to have many more.
I think Palmer has a great future in front of him.
Bobby says Matty Wolfe is the most talented player to come through the academy since Stones.
So that’s another one that we can hopefully look forward to seeing.

[animallittle3]

Nope.
We’ve had a few good uns from the academy.
And how the directors are shaping things up - by investing in young players - then we are likely to have many more.
I think Palmer has a great future in front of him.
Bobby says Matty Wolfe is the most talented player to come through the academy since Stones.
So that’s another one that we can hopefully look forward to seeing.

Palmer came from Man City Nudge when they released him .

If I'd a pound every time I'd heard this kid or that kids got a great further then I'd be retired now .

The truth is there is no moral obligation to keep an academy going the same as there isn't an obligation to keep me in work if the company I worked for loses money .

Mr Hassell isn't from the real world in my opinion which is sort of understandable given he's spent his entire working life in football .

Statements like these make me angry to be honest when thousands are losing their jobs and businesses are closing down every week right now .

Start producing some talent Mr Hassell is the only show in town as far as I'm concerned to keeping your job .

[animallittle3]

I'd reconstruct the academy if it was anything to do with me .

Firstly I do away with the under 18's altogether and totally concentrate on the under 21's .

The recruitment would solely come from the young talent released at 18 , 19 and 20 years of age from the bigger clubs .

This to me would be more cost effective than the present white elephant and it's expensive overheads .

[POGGYWELL]

I'd reconstruct the academy if it was anything to do with me .

Firstly I do away with the under 18's altogether and totally concentrate on the under 21's .

The recruitment would solely come from the young talent released at 18 , 19 and 20 years of age from the bigger clubs .

This to me would be more cost effective than the present white elephant and it's expensive overheads .

Now that really does make a great deal of sense.

Drop I line to Mrs Murphy you never know Animal she may take you up on that one.

[EthelRed]

So how would you capture local talent if theres no football until u21 level?

[animallittle3]

So how would you capture local talent if theres no football until u21 level?

I wouldn't bother with em Ethel , let other clubs use their financial resources and we will pick em up at 18 if we think they have summat .

Out of curiosity just how many local players have we had in our academy from school age that have gone all the way through the system to the first team and were sold on for very good money since the late 90's ? .