Signing Premier League Reserve Team Kids

[Peachofacross]

I've said before.

We should force a rule for all managers we hire, head coach, whatever we call them. X% of minutes over the season must be given to academy graduates making their debut that season/or have played less than y games for the club.

Failure to do so is dismissal at end of season. It's not that rare a clause, a few other clubs that focus on youth use similar. It forces the person picking the team to give a chance, to stop thinking every situation and problem requires purchasing new players.

The DoF will be in charge of which players are with first team and which are on loan or left in U21's. Another reason you need a good, skilled DoF at the club.

I totally agree with this. Sheffield Utd had 4 academy players start for them at the weekend.
The contrast is stark. Below are 2 of Wilders comments recently..

25th Nov

Chris Wilder acknowledged the homegrown talent which was on show during the weekend win at Sheffield Wednesday, and also gave an update on another of the Blades' promising youngsters.

Wilder hailed the contributions of Andre Brooks, Femi Seriki and Sydie Peck for their performances on Sunday, all of which have come through the Blades' academy setup.

Wilder said: "Our three academy players, we talk about dominating the city and dominating the city from that point of view as well, which we have done in facilities and in bringing players through and selling players as well. Another three on the pitch on Sunday, Femi, Andre - delighted for him being a local boy - and Sydie, two of the three are not from S2 or S8 or S10 or wherever, but they are Sheffield United players, I'm delighted for them as well because they've been ingrained in our culture and our philosophy, even at academy level."

31st Jan

"Yet again, I'm going to go on about the outstanding work in our academy, with four players on the pitch on Saturday.
"I think there was a picture of when Brooksy (Andre Brooks) scored, Femi (Seriki) is chasing him and Sydie (Peck) is chasing him, and they're the first in the picture.

"It's just outstanding.

"We have to give a lot of credit to the academy and what they're doing, and the coaching pathway into the first team and how we coach them as well.

"I've said all along, I'm a massive fan of our academy, and, from a local point of view, the boys in the first team that are wearing the shirt, but integrating with young players at other clubs that might want to make the step up, just as much as players that have played for us might want to go on to the next step, which is obviously going into the Premier League."