TOP ENGLISH CLUBS ARE HOLDING THE YOUTH BACK
THE recent success of England in winning the recent Fifa Under20 World Cup has led to talk of a new golden generation, but youth coaches have urged caution.
The Mail’s extensive research reveals they still lag behind their major European rivals.
Premier League clubs are stifling the progression of the best English footballers under the age of 21 by offering minimal first-team league action compared to their counterparts from France, Spain, Germany and Italy.
“Buying power is the issue,” said Dermot Drummy, who headed Chelsea’s academy for seven years and was an Arsenal youth coach for more than a decade.
“The top clubs can afford to get it wrong. I look at Ryan Bertrand as an example. In my eyes he was always a huge prospect, but he felt the opportunity was not there and left Chelsea for Southampton. Now there’s talk about Manchester City wanting him.
“It comes from the owners. If Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich said to Antonio Conte: ‘Push the youth players, don’t worry about results for a few seasons’, they would come through. But you won’t break the cycle unless that happens.”
Only three English players made it into the top 50 for appearances and minutes played by under 21s across Europe last season: Dele Alli played 30 league games and 2 438 minutes for Tottenham; Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford had 32 games but only 1 701 minutes; Tom Davies of Everton played 24 games, 1 543 minutes.
It is no surprise Alli and Rashford are making significant progress with England’s senior side. The most sought-after 18-year-old in world football, Monaco’s Kylian Mbappé, made 29 Ligue 1 appearances, scored 15 goals and made his France debut in March.
“Games are the best coaches,” said Charlton manager Karl Robinson, who handed a 16-year-old Alli his first-team debut at League One MK Dons.
Drummy added: “You only find out about a player when you play him. Mentality is the biggest thing to being an elite performer; walking out in front of 50 000 supporters and it not being a problem. You can’t tell about a player until you see that.”
The FA believe there is a collective feeling across the game that more needs to be done to tackle the issue of player pathways. The season before last, a record-low 31% of Premier League players were English. That was up to 33.2% last season, yet England boss Gareth Southgate’s selection pool from the top five European leagues is only 74. France have a pool of 175, Spain 163 and Germany 107.
Champions Chelsea are the dominant side in English youth football following more than £100 million investment.
Their academy sides have won the Uefa Youth League two years running and they have won the FA Youth Cup five out of the previous six, while their Under 18s are current Premier League champions.
Yet Ruben Loftus-Cheek – considered by staff as the best homegrown chance to become a firstteam regular since John Terry two decades ago – has seen his career stall.
Dominic Solanke, 19, opted not to extend his time at Stamford Bridge and has joined Liverpool. He has been the star of England’s run to the Under-20s World Cup final, yet has never played in the Premier League for Chelsea and mustered 17 firstteam minutes.
Last season, Ronald Koeman at Everton led the way for youth, giving 62 League appearances to under 21s. Man United’s Jose Mourinho gave 54. But Chelsea and Swansea gave just five, while Crystal Palace did not allow one of their hopefuls a single minute. – Daily Mail