shit creek again

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

As Pete will tell you the Ajax youth set up isn't that successful anymore.

 

It won't cost us that much to run ours, I have no doubt on that.

 

A youth department isn't just about pounds and pennies though. It is much more than that. Just because we haven't produced much lately isn't about it not having the chance to be successful... It is more the issue we have the wrong people running it.

 

I have seen our U10's and 11's this past season and they are very, very talented. It is when they get to the older age groups that things fall apart. If we got rid of the likes of Sinclair and had suitable replacements I am willing to wager that the youth department would produce plenty of talent. What the first team manager does with them is a different question entirely.

 

Some of our youths are playing for their national team at an age group above their natural age group, some have Man U and Everton sniffing around..... The talent is there, it just needs the right people to nurture it.

Last time someone said that I did a bit of research and found nearly the whole of their squad (18 players I think it was) came through their youth development. So I don't know what his logic is there. They have also won 4 in a row and they are still making a fortune from selling home developed players too (Blind, De Jong, Eriksen, Alderweireld etc).

[simplythebest 0]

Last time someone said that I did a bit of research and found nearly the whole of their squad (18 players I think it was) came through their youth development. So I don't know what his logic is there. They have also won 4 in a row and they are still making a fortune from selling home developed players too (Blind, De Jong, Eriksen, Alderweireld etc).

 

Yep, it might not be what it used to be in terms of producing the very best players in the world but it still seems very efficient to me