Riley McLachlan

[Norwood's 6 iron]

Bournemouth have started investing into their academy set up in recent years. They’re doing a good job of it as well

Interesting to see that it took them 6 years from obtaining planning permission to actually opening their training centre, and it cost ovet £30m.

 

[Yogi]

Interesting to see that it took them 6 years from obtaining planning permission to actually opening their training centre, and it cost ovet £30m.

Yeah HSBC site won’t be cheap for us

 

[Uganda Blade]

Yeah HSBC site won’t be cheap for us

Isn't the Dore site for the first team, and Shirecliffe for the academy?

 

[Yogi]

Isn't the Dore site for the first team, and Shirecliffe for the academy?

I think that’s the current plan but I can’t see a first team facility being any cheaper than what Bournemouth have paid

 

[Uganda Blade]

I think that’s the current plan but I can’t see a first team facility being any cheaper than what Bournemouth have paid

You're probably right.
I can't see us shelling out for both the first team facility and a Cat 1 academy facility any time soon.
I presume Dore is the first for investment in order to free up Shirecliffe for the academy.

 

[Balham]

Yes that is correct, Brentford scrapped their Academy in 2016 but have re-started it last year.

Brentford news: Why Bees revamped academy

Brentford's director of football and academy director have explained the strategy to restart the club's academy and start up a multi-club system in Spain.

www.bbc.co.uk

Only because they were told they had to. Brentford see little point in operating a full academy given that their catchment is covered by Chelsea and mostly by Arsenal and Palace, all of whom are far more successful at it. Brentford's marginal gain was to act like seagulls, picking up the discarded kids from the main academies.

I have a feeling that they've also looked at the cost/benefit of running a full academy and think the money is better spent on first team scouting.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Great to hear about these kids doing well but sadly only 4% of academy lads make it to professional level.

 

[Silent Blade]

Brentford's marginal gain was to act like seagulls, picking up the discarded kids from the main academies.

We have done that with David Brooks and Sydie Peck etc

 

[Nah den]

I think I’d advise to just take the money that’s on offer, a bird in the hand type approach.

Anything can happen from injuries to ultimately not being good enough so if you can get some decent money at a young age you might as well take it. Do a “Jordan Slew” you could say.

The other thing the top academies offer, such as the Manchester clubs, is free private education, which a lot of parents will value.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

How much better off would we be with a CAT 1 Academy? We seem to be reasonably successful anyway at finding and developing talent. Is the ROI worth it?