Interesting BBC Article

[nicdic]

Premier League club-trained players at new low, study says
By Alistair MagowanBBC Sport

The percentage of club-trained players in Premier League squads has reached a new low, a study says.

Research by the CIES Football Observatory found 11.7% of top-flight players graduated from their club's academy, down from 13.8% last year.

Across 31 top European divisions the figure has dropped below 20% for the first time since figures began in 2009.

Clubs are "increasingly reluctant" to give chances to academy players, says study author Raffaele Poli.

A club-trained player has spent at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21 training with their current side.

Overseas players account for 59.9% of Premier League footballers, the second-highest figure in Europe behind Cyprus.

That is higher than all other so-called 'big-five' nations - Italy (56.5%), Germany (45.9%), Spain (39.9%) and France (30.5%).

In addition, 41.1% of Premier League players are internationals, eclipsing 30.9% in Germany's Bundesliga and 19.9% in Spain's La Liga.

"The average age of footballers in Europe has reached a new high of 26 years," Poli says.

The average age of a Premier League player has never been higher at 26.9 years, but has remained relatively stable since an average of 26.7 in 2009.

Spurs set the standard
The introduction of the Premier League's £320m elite player performance plan (EPPP) in 2012 was designed to try to improve the quality of young English players and increase their opportunities in first teams.

But an increase in the percentage of foreign players over the past three years means that many youngsters now need to transfer clubs or go out on loan before playing in the Premier League.

Tottenham have the Premier League's largest percentage of club-trained players in their squad at 32%. Three Spurs players - striker Harry Kane, midfielder Ryan Mason and winger Andros Townsend - all went on loan before making their first-team breakthroughs and have since played for England.

Arsenal are second with 24%, Manchester United third with 20%, while Swansea City and Bournemouth have no club-trained players, according to the study.

The percentage of foreign players at Chelsea - 83.3% - is the third-highest in Europe and 12.5% of their squad is club-trained. That includes 19-year-old midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

The Premier League said 31 home-grown players had made their debuts this season, but recognised they had come through a variety of routes.

It added: "The number one stated aim of the EPPP is to develop more and better home-grown players capable of playing at Premier League level. English clubs are absolutely committed to this.

"For some players, like Manchester City's Raheem Sterling, they go straight from academy to under-21 football and then to the Premier League. For others, like Kane and Manchester United's Jesse Lingard, it was hard work at their academies, combined with U21 football and loans to the Football League prior to making an impact in the Premier League."

Is it getting worse for Premier League youngsters?
The Football Association has outlined plans to try to boost the number of home-grown players in England by limiting the number of non-EU players.

But Premier League clubs spent a record £1bn on transfer fees in 2015 with 65% of that paid to overseas clubs for players.

Manchester United set a world record fee for a teenager when they paid £36m to Monaco for 19-year-old striker Anthony Martial and from next season clubs will receive a further injection of money when a new £5.14bn TV deal kicks in for three years.

CIES Football Observatory data shows that the percentage of association-trained players in the Premier League - those who have come through a club's academy but now play for a different team - has dropped from 51% last year to 47.6%, but is above the lowest figure - 47.1% - set in 2013.

Poli added: "Although no-one would contest that youth is the future of football, the study shows that top-division European clubs are less and less courageous when it comes to giving club-trained players a chance to prove themselves."

But the Premier League said: "With the likes of Sunderland's Duncan Watmore, West Ham's Reece Oxford and Tottenham's Joshua Onumah recently making Premier League debuts, the belief is that the foundations that the EPPP has been laying since 2012 will continue to produce and progress talent in growing numbers."

European football's governing body Uefa, which ensures that at least eight association trained-players are in squads for competitions such as the Champions League, told BBC Sport: "Uefa believes that the issue of locally-trained players is very important for the development of football at all levels."

Other insights from the CIES report taken from Europe's 31 top leagues show:

• The highest percentage of club-trained players in a current squad is at Belarusian side FC Gomel, standing at 91.7%. Spain's Athletic Bilbao is fourth at 63%.

• Slovenian side Zavrc have the highest percentage of foreign players in their squad at 88%, with Italy's Roma second at 85.2% before Chelsea in third at 83.3%.

• Italian side Chievo are the only club whose average player age is over 30. Stoke are the Premier League's eldest team at 28.7 years old.

• Manchester United's Champions League group opponents Wolfsburg have the tallest team in Europe, averaging at 187cm or 6ft 2in. Stoke are the Premier League's tallest team.

• Premier League players have been at their clubs for the longest time, at an average of 2.82 years. The longest average stay is at Everton - 4.14 years.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34767964

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Youngest squad, most club trained players and also the 3rd highest percentage of Internationals in the Prem, that percentage is despite the first two stats, net spend and wages.

A world class academy with one of the top reputations in the UK, perhaps Europe. A new stadium on the way. An overhaul of our back room staff and a Manager who dictates and believes in this organic growth.

The future is bright.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Not good enough.

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Not good enough.

True, Poch didn't bring Onomah on against Bournemouth. Poch Out.

 

[dynamoSpurs]

I love you Tottingham!!! <3

 

[teok]

Poch out.

 

[Borks]

Levy out.

 

[nightgoat]

I'm guessing they're just using the registered squad of 25 to calculate these stats. If so, our figures won't include Bentaleb and now Onomah as club trained players making PL appearances.

Also worth noting that Arsenal's 'club-trained' players include Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey who have combined transfer fees of nearly £30m.

 

[yido_number1]

Really happy with everything at the moment. I love seeing the youngsters come through the academy and the team is unrecognizable from the soulless tripe we were turning out a couple of years ago. I feel like Levy knows 5th is the real attainable target with anything in the top four a massive achievement giving the financial scenario. With that in mind I would love to see Poch develop this squad for at least the next 5 years and see if we can over achieve and get some regular champs league football.

 

[Insomnia]

in out in out you shake it all about
you do the Delle Alli & you turn around, that's what it's all about

 

[Mullers]

I think people should wait a while before they start crowing about stuff, lets see who makes it through and how things end up. Townsend is looking surplus to requirements, many think that Carroll doesn't have a future and it was only a few games back that some were thinking Kane is a one season wonder.
I think the bottom line is this squad has to achieve something, otherwise they are not really going to be remembered by spurs supporters.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

It's certainly encouraging.
You have wonder how this'll pan out.
If we keep this group together long enough to develop them then the average age goes up.
If we get pillaged the age stays down as new players step up.
It's quite a unique place to be in 2015, a top 5 squad built on an academy and scouting of young players.
It hasn't really been done that way since the early premier league years and before.

 

[yankspurs]

The reason we are at where we are is because we started our youth focud way before the rules in 2012 were put into place. If you think it should take 3 years to reap benefits of overhauling the academy system, you're an idiot. Thats why trying to change it again now is so fucking shortsighted, i cant even begin to explain it. Give it time. We got at least a 5 year head start on the 2012 rules and its taken us until 2013/2014 to see it start to take hold. Not enough waa done though becasue chelseas abuse of the system has only gotten worse.

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

Ah a positive thread wouldn't be the same without a Mullers negative slant

I think Daniel Levy is insulating the club from the inevitable fall out of English football going bust. It happened in Italy, it would be happening in Spain without the interference of the government and tax man.


Having a squad with a fair share of players brought through the ranks, the extra money can go towards a debt free stadium, and we will be in a very strong position when things come crashing down. Its just the natural cycle.

 

[nightgoat]

I think people should wait a while before they start crowing about stuff, lets see who makes it through and how things end up. Townsend is looking surplus to requirements, many think that Carroll doesn't have a future and it was only a few games back that some were thinking Kane is a one season wonder.
I think the bottom line is this squad has to achieve something, otherwise they are really going to be remembered by spurs supporters.

Not every player from our academy will have a prolonged career at Spurs. But if Townsend is sold in January, Pritchard will be coming back to fitness then and will take his place. If Carroll moves on, Winks will get further opportunities. That's not even taking into account some of the younger prospects coming through who are maybe a year or two away from the first team, like Walker-Peters, Carter-Vickers, Oduwa etc.

 

[Mullers]

It's certainly encouraging.
You have wonder how this'll pan out.
If we keep this group together long enough to develop them then the average age goes up.
If we get pillaged the age stays down as new players step up.
It's quite a unique place to be in 2015, a top 5 squad built on an academy and scouting of young players.
It hasn't really been done that way since the early premier league years and before.

If AVB's time had gone differently, particularly summer 2013 would that have happened? When we spent the money were we mindful about Kane, Mason, Bentaleb being in the wings? Even after that at the beginning of Poch's reign was there thought given about the players we have coming through? We spent 7 million on Fazio, he's been a train wreck and as a result we are looking to flog him as soon as possible. Veljkovic has looked at the situation and seems to not want to sign a deal with the club. We were looking seriously at DMs this summer, at the likes of Wanyama. We were not able to bring one in, so Poch prepared Dier to play there had we brought a DM in Dier's chances of playing would have been severely limited.

As you might have guessed I think the answers to these questions is a big fat no.
I think there is an element of stumbling and bumbling around in the dark about the whole thing. I really, really hope that we are not going to go out and get another CB once we do manage to get rid of Fazio.

 

[Sir Henry]

Youngest squad, most club trained players and also the 3rd highest percentage of Internationals in the Prem, that percentage is despite the first two stats, net spend and wages.

A world class academy with one of the top reputations in the UK, perhaps Europe. A new stadium on the way. An overhaul of our back room staff and a Manager who dictates and believes in this organic growth.

The future is bright.

Love that post.

 

[Mullers]

Ah a positive thread wouldn't be the same without a Mullers negative slant

I think Daniel Levy is insulating the club from the inevitable fall out of English football going bust. It happened in Italy, it would be happening in Spain without the interference of the government and tax man.


Having a squad with a fair share of players brought through the ranks, the extra money can go towards a debt free stadium, and we will be in a very strong position when things come crashing down. Its just the natural cycle.

Tbh I did think about whether I should post here or not because I think generally these threads are made for supporters to get on the same page and throw their hats up in the air and say hip, hip hooray.

 

[Sir Henry]

in out in out you shake it all about
you do the Delle Alli & you turn around, that's what it's all about

in out in out you shake it all about, you do the Dele Alli and you turn around
theres cazorlas dizzy spells

something like that anyway

 

[DogsOfWar]

I think people should wait a while before they start crowing about stuff, lets see who makes it through and how things end up. Townsend is looking surplus to requirements, many think that Carroll doesn't have a future and it was only a few games back that some were thinking Kane is a one season wonder.
I think the bottom line is this squad has to achieve something, otherwise they are really going to be remembered by spurs supporters.

The difference now is that our youth set up cast offs are having Premiership/Championship careers rather than League 1/2, or even dropping out of the league.

I have no doubt that the standard of our youth has risen considerably in the last 10-15 years, to the point where, even if they are not top 4 quality, they can do a job in the squad. And if they don't want to be squad players we are able to sell them for £5million+.