He might sign, he might not. It's clearly a game of bluff. Pep most likely said if he's not signed he won't travel. So that's what's happened.
Regardless of Sancho, his potential motivations or whatever, NK is right - if players are considering going elsewhere given everything we've got going for us sumat isn't right and we have to address it before it becomes a trend.
Biggest worry for City is Tye Campbell imo. I've got a feeling he'll play and score a few for Stoke next year and that won't reflect well at all on City. Some of his City mates him will see that and think "fuck it" and move on. The ones a couple of years younger will know him and they'll be approaching scholarship stage a year from now and they might think twice.
If its not Campbell it could be Sancho. Anyone. We can't be high and mighty about this and label Sancho. It's on us, it really is. The likes of Sancho will have looked up to the Barkers and Celinas and chances are some of them are a tiny bit bitter about everything. Whether it's warranted or not (and in my opinion lots of it is valid) once a negative thought is planted it spreads v quickly. That's our biggest problem now.
And it stops at the first team. Only way we fix it is by being bold. A good start would be someone like Roberts (even if he's not an academy prospect) being rewarded with a squad spot and a debut for a foden or a long termer who's worked exceptionally hard in training. A Nemane or Buckley 15 mins in an easy home game. A token gesture, yes, but itd mean fucking loads to them. It really doesn't take much to reverse that negativity. We just do next to nothing.
And you need to get your head out of the clouds if you believe some of the most promising youngsters in the world are going to wait around at City to be given a go in the first team when they're 20/21 after loans at Celtic and Twente when they could be playing Premier League football for Spurs, Liverpool or United within a few years.
I also think the notions that we can't afford to give a youngster a bench spot and that giving a youngster a go for 10/15 mins is automatically detrimental to the team are bollocks. There's absolutely no evidence supporting either theory.
Honestly? I don't believe there is one 'right' answer. Be different for each kid. I guess what I am trying to say is that I DO believe that City are trying to find a way for the best kids
to break through to the first team. Within that, there may be kids that choose to look at going to the teams you quote - some may succeed, some may fail. great. There may also be kids that use the footballing education that they have received, to make a better career in the game than they might of otherwise had. Good for them! On top of this, City may end up with a pearl or two for the first team, that we can all enjoy. What I don't quite get is people on here claiming that youth development is an exact science that they have mastered and that, according to them, City are 'doing it wrong'. If it were that easy then surely every team would be doing it and winning leagues and cups and stuff? Oh, hang on... :)
none of them do get to play at them though anyway, so pointless moving unless you want to play down a level. Unless you're talking minimal game time and sitting on the bench most of the season, well worth that over playing full-time...
Wouldn't disagree with you. Though i get the feeling - rightly or wrongly - that City are waiting for a kid that can really make it as a first team player, rather than just aSadly, I think we are doing it right, except the last bit. All this means is we develop loads of great talent for other clubs to enjoy.
At the moment, the best path for a young player to get to City's first team is:
The guys we've signed over the past few seasons (Sterling, Stones, Bernardo, Sane, Jesus, Ederson, potentially Mendy) have commanded their enormous transfer fees because they were often already important players for their clubs in their very early 20s. Our academy players can't get to that level because at the moment we don't even contemplate playing them until they're 20/21 and then it's bits here and there rather than expensive new signing game time.
- work through the youth ranks at City
- don't sign a pro contract
- move to the likes of Everton, Spurs, Leipzig, Monaco or Porto
- spend a few years breaking into the first team
- become a key player by the time you're 21
- move back to City for £50m+
They do by the time they're late teens/early twenties. City haven't even given players that of late. There's also the aspect of training week in, week out with the first team squad which will also boost development.
Wouldn't disagree with you. Though i get the feeling - rightly or wrongly - that City are waiting for a kid that can really make it as a first team player, rather than just a
'squad member' that'll be hyped for a bit then get sold off to sunderland for a few quid. Might take a while but if it truly sets a precedent for others, then I think it's worth it. I mean no disrespect to the kids that have been through the system so far but have any of them really struck you as a player that could be the next Kun, Merlin, YaYa, Vinnie? Am not so sure. But maybe that is what City are saying that they want the kids to set their sights on?
I'm not sure England are a great example of how to do things... Let's look at the last world cup winners:
Neuer - first regular first team minutes at top (qualifying for European comps) club at Schalke aged 20
Großkreutz - Dortmund 21
Ginter - Dortmund 20
Höwedes - Schalke 20
Hummels - Dortmund 19
Khedira - Stuttgart 19
Schweinsteiger - Bayern 19
Özil - Bremen 20
Schürrle - Mainz 20
Podolski - Bayern 21
Klose - Kaiserslautern 21
Zieler - Hannover 22
Müller - Bayern 20
Draxler - Schalke 18
Durm - Dortmund 21
Lahm - Bayern 22
Mertesacker - Bremen 22
Kroos - Bayern/Bayer 18
Götze - Dortmund 18
Boateng - Hamburg 19
Mustafi - Valencia 22
Weidenfeller - Dortmund 23
Kramer - Mönchengladbach 22
Average of 20.3 (20.1 excluding keepers). Youngsters at City have no chance of being first team regulars by the time they're 20 unless they're not at City.[/QUOTE
The players who have patience and understand their late teens/early 20s are all about maximising any opportunity, going through the grind, being patient and learning will make it. Guys who chase after the big buck and stardom will fall away in the hype.
took Harry Kane 4 years and 4 loans to get a PL appearance for Spurs. In fact let's look at the last England squad.
Heaton - At United 7 years, no appearances. 6 loans away before dropping down to the Championship with Cardiff, Bristol City then getting promoted with Burnley.
Butland - 3 years at Brum before loan to Cheltenham, then a full season in the Championship with Birmingham before coming into Stoke, where he played 12 times in 2 years before coming first choice, with 3 loans to the Championship in that spell.
Forster - 6 years at Newcastle, couldn't break through. 3 loans in England before 2 years on loan at Celtic before moving there permanently. Only after 4 seasons as first choice in the SPL did he get a move to the PL and Southampton.
Hart - 3 years of playing at Shrewsbury, 1 year first choice in League 2. Comes to City, 2 loans in his first season, then gets regular game time. Then we move up a level squad-wise and he goes to Birmingham and stars as first choice, then comes back and becomes number 1.
Trippier - Starts with us, no games. Has 2 spells on loan at Barnsley before moving to Burnley in the Championship. Spends 4 years there, gets promoted and goes to Spurs.
Bertrand - 8 years a squad player at Chelsea, 7 loans before he got a permanent move to Southampton.
Jones - A rare case of break into the first team at a PL club (Blackburn), then get a big money move in 2 years to United. Hasn't fulfilled the early promise.
Cahill - 5 years at Villa, 2 loans and 1 season where he played 20 games. Moved to Bolton and after his first season became a regular, then moved to Chelsea.
Stones - 3 seasons at Barnsley where only his last was as a regular. Moved to Everton and claimed his spot and went on to us.
Walker - Briefly at Sheff Utd before being bought by Spurs, however 3 loans followed over the next 2 seasons before he cemented his spot at RB. Then moved to us.
Cresswell - 3 years at Tranmere, 3 years at Ipswich then a move to West Ham.
Getting bored of proving my point so a few more...
Smalling - Maidstone - Fulham - United.
Sterling - A rare exception.
Ox - A year in League 1 with Southampton before a gradual introduction at Arsenal.
Alli - 4 years in League 1 at MK Dons before Spurs.
Dier - No apperances at Everton, infrequent appearances for Sporting before move to Spurs.
Defoe - Loan to 2nd Division Bournemouth before being given a chance at West Ham.
Rashford - The 2nd rare exception.
Lingard - 4 loans away before becoming a squad player at United.
Kane - 4 loans over 3 seasons, scoring 16 goals in 3 years. First PL game in 2012/13, 10 league games in 2013/14, only scored 4 goals. Took till 2014/15 to be a regular and hit, 5 years after joining Spurs and at 21 years old.
In summary, if Sancho isn't prepared to go out on loan, even down the levels, and be patient and realise unless he's a very rare exception he won't break through into a top team in even a squad role until his early 20s, then he'll throw his career down the pan being greedy and going for broke too early.
Sign the contract, do the time and earn your stripes. Be wise.
I'm not sure England are a great example of how to do things... Let's look at the last world cup winners:
Neuer - first regular first team minutes at top (qualifying for European comps) club at Schalke aged 20
Großkreutz - Dortmund 21
Ginter - Dortmund 20
Höwedes - Schalke 20
Hummels - Dortmund 19
Khedira - Stuttgart 19
Schweinsteiger - Bayern 19
Özil - Bremen 20
Schürrle - Mainz 20
Podolski - Bayern 21
Klose - Kaiserslautern 21
Zieler - Hannover 22
Müller - Bayern 20
Draxler - Schalke 18
Durm - Dortmund 21
Lahm - Bayern 22
Mertesacker - Bremen 22
Kroos - Bayern/Bayer 18
Götze - Dortmund 18
Boateng - Hamburg 19
Mustafi - Valencia 22
Weidenfeller - Dortmund 23
Kramer - Mönchengladbach 22
Average of 20.3 (20.1 excluding keepers). Youngsters at City have no chance of being first team regulars by the time they're 20 unless they're not at City.