17 Aug 2015 13:43:46
Some posters have mentioned that our academy doesn't produce world class players anymore; but some seem to forget that a certain Paul Pogba was a member of our academy not that long ago. Then we have Januzaj who has the potential to be world class.

Of all the top teams, it seem only us and Liverpool are bringing players through into their first teams.

Where are city's young starlets?

{Ed001's Note - where did both Pogba and Januzaj come from? It is like claiming Sterling and Ibe came through the Liverpool academy, it is simply not true. Pogba is as much, if not more, of a product of Le Havre as he is United. Neither Liverpool nor United are really doing a good job of bringing through academy products into the first team any more.}


1.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 14:03:33
Sort of agree ed.
But then, which 'big club' has? I would say only Southampton have any sort of claim regarding such a thing

{Ed001's Note - true. At least in England anyway, the money is too much for the managers to have the balls to take the risk.}


2.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 14:08:40
Southampton's the beSt at bringing youth through. Amazing structure and you will actually get a chance to play if your young and good enough.


3.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 14:09:38
I have to disagree with you there. Both players came to the club when they were 14/15, which are key ages for football development.

How many players from the youth team have played in the first team under the current manager? I think you will find a fair few.

The pressures of modern day football at the higher echelons of the game are always going to dictate that the bigger sides will always have to compete in order to achieve their aims both on and off the pitch; thus the scope for bringing in young players - unless of extraordinary quality - is small.

There are not many major super power football clubs with a healthy number of youth team players circulating through their respective first teams.

The issue of my post was not about the numbers; more to do with the fact that a few with blue tinted glasses on, seem to think City are a conveyor belt for producing young talent when that clearly isn't the case.

{Ed001's Note - key ages? That is when they are well along in their development, it is not really all that 'key'. No more than any other age up until about 23. Pogba developed more after he left United than he ever did with you.}


4.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 14:32:39
The point about City is they are investing a lot in putting infrastructures in place for their youth academy. I'm not sure if this will ever translate into first team players, because, as ed001 rightly points out, most managers find it too risky to place their faith in youth players anymore.


5.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 14:37:18
True, but we will never truly know about Pogba in a United shirt because he was never really given a chance for one reason or another. So how far he had developed by the time is conjecture. Suffice to say that he hit the round running at Juve, which suggests that he was some way along in his development.

I suppose the development process of a players has a number of phases; and at 14/15 - because of physical changes - it is a unique period in the development of a player. So while you are correct in what you say, there are definitely key ages where player development can go either way IMO.


6.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 15:11:12
Danny, it is part of City's "holistic" plan that they have developed their academy. I mean, they started from practically nothing in the development process.

I say fair play to them. I think they have done a lot of good things for the local community and a lot for the local kids.
Even if most will never make it into their first team, the fact that they will be given a chance to play professional football or have a career in an other area of work - thanks to their education program - is commendable. I also think we need to emulate what they are doing in terms of giving opportunities that are not directly related to football.


7.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 15:36:39
For those people saying Pogba was a world class player produced by Utd, here is his youth team history:


1999–2006 (age 6 - 13) Roissy-en-Brie

2006–2007 (age 13 - 14) Torcy

2007–2009 (age 14 - 16) Le Havre

2009–2011 (age 16 - 18) Manchester United

Pogba was already 16 and a France youth player by the time he pitched up in Manchester.

He was in our youth academy for all of 2 years, then our 1st team for 1 year playing a grand total of 3 games before he swanned off to Juve.

In truth we had little/nothing to do with his development. Our academy seems incapable of developing top quality, 1st team ready players and hasn't done so for donkey's years!!


8.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 16:13:26
How many players currently playing in the PL and Championship have come from our academy? I would wager a fair few. Granted, they are not playing at top clubs, but many are good footballers playing at a good level.

There are a few players currently playing in the academy set up that look like they have bright futures ahead of them. I hope they are given their chance.

With regards to Pogba, to say that we had no impact on his development is ridiculous. As I said to Ed, he came at a time crucial in his development. He would have learned a lot while he was here. To say otherwise, IMO, is doing the club and the coaches a disservice.


9.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 20:00:49
Signing the best youngsters at 14, 15, 16 is called poaching and is (rightly) frowned upon


10.) 17 Aug 2015
17 Aug 2015 21:12:26
That is another debate entirely, random red.