Marvin said:
It works at clubs which can tap South America and Africa, and which don't have big transfer and wage budgets.
What would my solution be? To throw money and resources at it just like City. I have no issues with the development of the academy, just the unrealistic expectations of fans who think that because we've spent £100 m on a new academy, we'll start producing Messis and Agueros. Aguero made his debut at 15 in Argentina. El Apache Tevez made his debut for Boca Juniors at 16. If you had to prioritise resources it would be 1) Player recruitment 2) Stadium 3) Academy. But luckily we don't, so we can do all 3, but every one can see that in this case 1) is bigger than 3).
I know what you mean because essentially the very top footballers in the world aren't a product of academies they just were born with their talent and it was nurtured through their coaching and development. I don't think the likes of Zidane, Messi, Aguero etc really needed much coaching - they just have the talent. Having said that, to attract those players you still have to be able to offer the top facilities and coaches so that when you knock on the future Messi's door and speak to his Dad - you can say this is where your 14 year old son could play and this is what we can do for him. Our academy has to nurture and introduce talent - the issue in England, and with English players is that the attitudes are all wrong. It's big money early doors, big hype, and England call up and then a drop in levels. I can't think of any player in England under the age of 25 who has had more than one quality season.
Our approach with education and mentality should be able to address part of that. Through quality coaching and constant practice at a young age you can become a brilliant footballer. Yes you need some natural ability but when you look at Milner for example, he lives his life free of alcohol to ensure he performs to the best of his ability on the pitch. He isn't as blessed as Silva in terms of natural technique but his work ethic mean he is a quality player who has shown his worth both domestically and in the CL. Manchester is a big place. The likes of Pique, Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta didn't grow up far away from the club they ended up playing for. They had the right coaching and the right natural ability. There's no reason the same can't happen with City - we just have to change how we coach and what we look for - which is what we have done. It's not some 6ft 15yr old who wins every header and can kick it a mile. It's not some 5ft 100m sprinter who can chase the ball over the top and score - it's about testing their first touch, their passing and developing their awareness of the game and tactics. That seems to be what's happening and when you see what else the academy is doing in terms of community projects these should be well-rounded individuals. Our younger players seem to speak with a lot of maturity. It will still be a balance of purchasing players and producing our own talent but we are in a position to attract and develop top young footballers.
