Wolf Island Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Pasted as it's subscription content Clubs reap benefits of going back to home front to develop talent Bristol City show what can be done when working with local players Joe Bryan, born in Bristol, raised in Bristol, was made at Bristol City, debuting as an 18-year-old after emerging from their academy. Loans to the Blue Square Premier and League Two helped his development. Korey Smith, Bristol City’s other scorer in last month’s Carabao Cup humbling of Manchester United, came through at Norwich, in League One. Bristol City had four other club-developed players in their 18 for their Carabao Cup heroics and 16 of that number were English homegrown players: a fairytale team made the old-fashioned way. These are boom times in development in the Football League and Bristol City are an example of a trend, among its clubs, of moving back towards British and local talent. Of England’s Under-17 World Cup winning squad, 29% of the players were EFL registered, as were 20% of England’s Under-20 World Cup winning group, while 39% of England’s Under-19 European champions were EFL players. “If you look at the success we had as a nation in the summer, there were loads of headlines about Phil Foden and the other Manchester City and Liverpool players who starred,” said Dave Wetherall, the EFL’s head of youth development. “But a substantial number of those boys came through the EFL system. And in the senior England team are numerous examples who started at EFL clubs. “The back five in England’s last game [against Brazil] began their careers in the EFL and then there’s Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Dele Alli, Jamie Vardy, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.” Wetherall, the former Leeds and Bradford defender, was the first Premier League footballer to attain a first-class honours degreewhile playing. He knows a bit about fulfilling potential, and helped bring in measures likely to further boost the development boom. From this season, each matchday 18 in the EFL must include a minimum seven homegrown players — those who, irrespective of nationality, were registered with an English or Welsh club for at least three years before turning 21 (or the end of the season during which they turn 21). From next season there will be a further requirement: every team sheet will have to feature at least one player developed by the club itself. To qualify as the latter, a player must have been with the club for at least a year prior to the end of their under-19 season. It represents a small but significant change, enshrining in EFL rules the necessity for clubs to produce their own talent. No club can now simply import — even at youth level — players and no academy will be left to go about its work wondering if any of the boys it is developing will ever get near the first team. The Premier League could learn a lot. “We wanted to establish a pathway from academies to first teams, and young players can be assured somebody who has been in the club’s own system is going to be around the first team,” said Wetherall. “It empowers academies, but also puts them under pressure to produce, which is a good thing. The ‘seven homegrown’ criteria is a raising of the quota from what it was before, six. We wanted to draw a line in the sand. The clubs had to vote it in. They showed great commitment [to youth] in doing that.” About 85% of EFL teamsheets already feature home developed players, so clubs are moving in the right direction. A year ago an initiative called EFL Futures was launched, where a prize fund of £3m is shared pro-rata between clubs giving England-qualified under-21 players first team opportunities. The EFL are proud of some of the figures they’re achieving, such as that 45% of EFL scholars now win professional contracts. Through League Football Education, a partnership between the EFL and Professional Footballers Association, youngsters being released by clubs are given chances to continue their careers elsewhere — there is a placement programme with Swedish clubs where released EFL scholars can go to Sweden for extended trials and 33% of the lads involved have won contracts. But there’s nothing like having a standard-bearer and Bristol City, with Bryan, Smith, Josh Brownhill, Aden Flint, Bobby Reid, have emerged at the right time to showcase the direction the EFL wants to move in. Wetherall hopes the club-developed quota may increase as the years go on. “There is financial sense in developing players,” said Wetherall, “and it helps root clubs in their communities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dastardly and Muttley Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Interested to know more about that prize money for playing England U21 eligible players. £3mill across 72 clubs isn’t much, but every little helps and if it’s successful can see it being extended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Island Posted January 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 1 hour ago, Dastardly and Muttley said: Interested to know more about that prize money for playing England U21 eligible players. £3mill across 72 clubs isn’t much, but every little helps and if it’s successful can see it being extended. Yes, and 1/72th of £3m whilst not that much for Championship clubs could mean a lot to those new to the football league like the Gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr X Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Interesting that it also promotes released players going abroad, something that I think a lot of English players never seem to even consider! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonR Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 1 hour ago, Ser Davos Ciderworth said: Yes, and 1/72th of £3m whilst not that much for Championship clubs could mean a lot to those new to the football league like the Gas. But then they would have to do something at the Colony, and that would all have to be removed when they sell it to property developers in April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheshire_red Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 £800 a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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