Academies don’t work.
Too many poor players just making the numbers up so as clubs can put a team out for the one or two ‘half decent’ players that they might have.
Applies from the top of the pyramid down to the bottom of L2.
Look to see how many first team players came through that clubs own Academy. Very, very few.
The big boys bring their ‘junior galacticos’ from overseas in as Apprentices – releasing their local boys who might have been there since age 6 or 7.
These released players then drop down to a smaller Championship club.
The Championship clubs then clear their decks and their released players turn up at L1 & L2 clubs.
Get released from a L2 Academy… where do you go?
End of the line!
They’ve created an ‘industry’ – jobs for the boys – old school network.
Let’s face it, most lower league clubs only run an Academy for the funding.
