Our last world class youth player

[Bellamy's Caddy]

Definitely Johnno.

But you could also say Ireland had a flash of it briefly too.

Johnson is a real case of what might have been, he seemed to have it all, a real shame.

I remember Sven being asked why he kept playing Ireland and he said how he was the best player in training every day. For a year and a half we got to see that in the first team, unfortunately that was all it was. Sad that his career has so little to show for it with all the talent he has.

SWP and Sturridge also up there with the best the academy has produced in more recent years. SWP in his pomp was one of the players I've most enjoyed watching as a City fan.

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

I'm from a different generation, but Peter Barnes in full flow was unstoppable. But like all flair players he was hit and miss, broke my City heart though when we sold him to WBA all those years ago.

 

[Viridian]

Sweep is still our biggest return on youth investment, isn't he?

I'd go for Micah Richards in terms of players who produced their best with City. Zabaleta has emerged as the better right back of the two but Micah was instrumental in our first title win.

Sturridge obviously the best player we've produced, just a shame Hughes let him go.

 

[FanchesterCity]

Peter Barnes was my favourite player, but I don't think we've ever had a world class youth player (certainly not one I can think of in my lifetime). You could make a case for Giggs but it would be stretching credibility to claim we produced him.
Johnson, like Paul Lake was very hyped up at the time, but there's been countless players in history like that who never actually went to achieve a lot. City fans were genuinely excited about the prospects of both, and both earned a lot of praise outside of the club too - but still, it's never a guarantee of anything and 'world class' is a bloody high standard.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

so you say world class youth player, and then reel off a list of names who weren't close to world class.

City haven't single-handedly produced a world class player going back to the birth date of most of the members on here, which was when the Luftwaffe was still a thing.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

willo flood

 

[john@staustell]

Not meant to be a negative post, but thinking now of how we are about to pay £40m+ on Stones (which I agree with) lots of questions arise, who/when etc was our last top class youth product - Denis Suarez springs to mind, but he want ready. Ronny Lopes hasn't yet done it, Ineacho may be the one, perhaps Deneayer, let's see, or do we wait for Brahim to make the grade.

For me we have failed (I'm looking at you Manuel) to blood youngsters, Ambrose, Glendon, Evans, Bytiqui etc - some maybe all of these will move on (yes Evans already has) will they potentially become new Pogbas Beardsleys David Platt even, all released too early by parent clubs.

Point is, are we are city consistently paying top dollar for players we should have scouted or are we not promoting our players correctly?

I loved it during the 90s and even into the last decade when we consistently brought through academy players. Whelan, Mee, Trippier immediately spring to mind from recent times. However do we have to go back as far as Paul Lake to see our last top notch player to graduate.

Denayer???

Fuck me we've had a world class player all this time and we've let him play in Scotland and Turkey!

Silly us

 

[cyberblue]

Johnson talent wise, Sturridge and SWP before that. Fact is, the kids we've produced in the last few years haven't been anywhere near the level we all hope and lots assume they are.

We poached Sturridge and SWP from other clubs don't think they came to City till they were 14-15

 

[117 M34]

Not meant to be a negative post, but thinking now of how we are about to pay £40m+ on Stones (which I agree with) lots of questions arise, who/when etc was our last top class youth product - Denis Suarez springs to mind, but he want ready. Ronny Lopes hasn't yet done it, Ineacho may be the one, perhaps Deneayer, let's see, or do we wait for Brahim to make the grade.

For me we have failed (I'm looking at you Manuel) to blood youngsters, Ambrose, Glendon, Evans, Bytiqui etc - some maybe all of these will move on (yes Evans already has) will they potentially become new Pogbas Beardsleys David Platt even, all released too early by parent clubs.

Point is, are we are city consistently paying top dollar for players we should have scouted or are we not promoting our players correctly?

I loved it during the 90s and even into the last decade when we consistently brought through academy players. Whelan, Mee, Trippier immediately spring to mind from recent times. However do we have to go back as far as Paul Lake to see our last top notch player to graduate.

Whelan, mee or trippier hardly played for the 1st team

 

[Whitefield Blue]

We poached Sturridge and SWP from other clubs don't think they came to City till they were 14-15

This is quite an important point.

It seems that these days (and City are far from alone here) that a club can BUY a player when they're 16, play them in a couple of EDS games, give them a first team call-up and then claim them as an 'academy graduate'.

It's a tad delusional to believe that City 'produced' Iheanacho for example.