MADNESS OF THE MILLIONS HARMING OUR KIDS

TROY DEENEY was bang on when he said the transfer fees demanded for British players were “mad”.

The Watford striker has just signed a new deal at Vicarage Road after being priced out of a move. Newcastle were one of several clubs who baulked at his £10m price tag.

We’ve seen Ross McCormack join Fulham for £11m, a second tier record that has effectively added noughts to the price of every Championship striker.

It’s easy to lambast top-flight managers for buying average foreign players instead of homegrown talent. Nobody likes to see a Slovakian squad filler.

Yet we can’t reasonably expect chairmen to be willingly ripped-off for the good of the game. Nor should we expect lower league owners to simply give their best assets away. It’s why the big clubs sign up promising kids at 15 and 16, unwilling to wait and see potential turn into ability with a price tag to match. Get ‘em young, get ‘em cheap, or don’t get ‘em at all.

It’s what happened to Jordon Ibe, who made his debut for Wycombe at 15, was snatched by Liverpool a year later and now 18, has joined Derby on loan. It’s difficult to argue the winger wouldn’t have been better staying at Wycombe.

Only when the Championship coffers run dry and power returns to the buyer will this absurdly inflated market be punctured.

And until then, talented players like Ibe and Deeney – not to mention English football in general – will suffer.