- Aug 31, 2012
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You say that but the 2 best academies are an oil club, and an ex oil club. I bet Newcastle's academy will explode next. It's all money, if you can pay the best prospects the most money with impunity, you'll have the best Academy, or so the evidence shows. Nothing to do with setup imo
I have been talking about only one club here - thats City. Cities input into their academy is no higher than what we been doing to our academy. Infact, we spent more on our academy - its just that we decided to put the money on infrastrcuture, they put the money in scouting, coaches.
Its not that their academy players are making a career for themself, they are consistently becoming top class footballers.
And they dont spend on academy players like Chelsea do. Just take Lavia. Pep saw him in some preseason tour playing in near by pitches as 15 yr old, took note. Then after 6 months, Lavia signed for city - no fee was paid to Anderlecht. He had no agents then.
Sancho went to their academy for 66k as per EPPP as well.
Its mind boggling to see the list of academy product from them. End of the day, they are successful. And its not because of money. If thats the case, every club could have done the same.