The fact is that the vast majority of kids coming out of the Acedemy will not make it at the very elite level. They know that and we know that. The hope is that a good number will go on to have decent careers in the game, and the fees they bring in and the money saved by maybe 1 in 30 making it big and taking a first team role, pays for the academy and a fair bit beside.
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Iâm repeating myself but one of the hallmarks of a big and successful club is its academy and the number of players that they have produced and that are playing in the league but couldnât make it at their parent club. Fergusonâs Man United were the absolute masters of it, Liverpool were one of the rare PL clubs that didnât have their former youth players during that era.
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Valencia are shit these days. Played the full 90 once this year.
17th in League One
Couldnât get a start in his first Wolves season and now zero minutes in Wolves preseason.
His two years at Porto have been a catastrophe
Terrific? LOL. Not even a starter.
DOWN
I have no desire to slate our academy. None of them made it âbigâ (like being a starter for a CL club) and Iâm sure most of the clubs regret paying those fees.
Absolutely knew you would go off like that while I wrote that post. Never change 
You missed Solanke tut tut
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Good luck to the kid.
It looks like everyone who comes through our youth ranks has to win the Ballon dâOr to keep you happy.
As @Sweeting and others have said, as long as the academy is producing players who have decent professional careers, theyâre doing something right.
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Do you think the same about City and Chelsea academy?
I donât give a fuck about Cityâs or Chelseaâs academy.
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But you think about those clubs a lot everyday.
Nope.
You might do so, but that doesnât mean that everybody does.
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You have a very limited view of what constitutes success if anything less than a starter for a CL club is deemed to have not made it.
I went off because your post is garbage. Even now your response is pretty much nonsense - Reading finished 17th in League One, great job looking that up, Ejaria hasnât played for them in the better part of two years because of his mental health. When they were a Championship club he was getting linked with PL moves because he was playing well.
Hoever couldnât get a start in his first season at Wolves - he was 18.
Wilson was terrific, did you watch Fulham? You donât have to start every game to be an important and good player. Is Jota not good for us?
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anywaysâŚ
whatever the actual fee is between 20 and 27, its rouhly half of a zubimendi⌠which sounds like great business
between the solanke fee and this one, its a decent little incomeâŚ
add loosening Thiagos wage off the books, youd imagine theres a little wiggle room to go big on another signing after Zubimendi (assuming that actually goes through)
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Yes?
They do a very good job of producing talent but if we had their players come through our academy youâd be writing the same list as above and saying "Bazunu lost his place, Trafford was terrible, McAtee didnât start regularly for Sheff Utd, Delap canât score, Forbs canât stand out in a bad Ajax team, Charles canât start at Southampton, Edozie and Larios have barely played etc etc etc.
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Anyway, Iâm sure most clubs regret paying those fees for our players and the same will happen with Brentford.
By the way, fully expect them to sack Thomas Frank next season.
A talented player that Iâm sorry to see go, but there was no way he was going to make it at Anfield. No matter which position he plays with us there are always better players ahead of him. Itâs best for him that he moves on.
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Exactly my point.
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Can we count captain of Nantes Pedro Chirivella too?
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No, because he doesnât fit the agenda.
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If they were playing in a Champions League final Iâd be a bit annoyed we let them go.
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Good move for the lad,he has talent and is far more likely to get regular game time at Brentford than he would here with our number of midfielders.
Wish him well as long he doesnât rip us a new one.
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