So, Manchester City fans around the world jumped with joy after the news of their recent takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group. Exciting news indeed.
However, beneath the stacks of money, Brazilian superstars, and dreams of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo in the blue jersey, lies the possibility of a tragedy.
The possible tragedy is one which would be a disaster to Manchester City as a club. It would also be a disaster to the England national side and more importantly, a downward turn for English football in general.
If Manchester City's new owners are intent on putting together a "dream team", then the tragedy I speak of will be the destruction of one of the best academies in the country. An academy which has produced more than 20 first-team footballers in recent years, one that is the envy of some of England's more elite clubs.
Of course I can understand the exhilaration felt by City fans after the club was bought and enriched with the wealth of the new owners. The effect can already be seen with the better-late-than never acquisition of world-class superstar Robinho.
However you have to wonder how this will effect the careers of the promising youngsters who hope to find themselves in the Manchester City starting eleven in the next few years.
These young and hungry players have become a tradition at City and although they are not the trophy hauling team like rivals Manchester United, they can boast about one thing which the Red Devil faithful cannot—homegrown English talent in an abundance.
You need only look at their wonderful talent in the team, and when you realise the players (both now and in recent years) that actually rose through the ranks to the first team, it really hits home how good it is. Bradley and Shaun Wright Phillips are both very successful, Shaun more so—he has become an established international who looks set for great things.
Stephen Ireland has cemented his place in the Manchester City midfield, and is one of the best midfielders in the EPL. A tad egotistical you might say, but you cant deny his talents.
Names that really stand out are Nedum Onuoha, Daniel Sturridge, Michael Johnson, and of course Micah Richards. These four players are some of the most coveted in England. Micah Richards looks like a world class defender in the making, and already has the quality to warrant a place in the Manchester United or Chelsea starting eleven, never mind City's.
Daniel Sturridge is slowly bursting onto the scene, and has already been linked with city rivals Manchester United and London giants Chelsea. The powerful and pacey striker has all the attributes to become a great.
Michael Johnson is one of the most exciting talents in the world right now and the industrious and creative midfielder was close to a summer move to either Arsenal or Everton. There are already whispers of him becoming an automatic starter for England in the future, and he has even been touted as captain material.
Other successful promotions from youth to stardom include Ishmael Miller, Willo Flood, Lee Croft, Dixon and Kevin Etuhu, and Shalugm Logan.
37 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
Barney 10 months ago
Great article as usual Keith. However, I doubt most City fans will care about this, after all - who would you prefer - Steven Gerrard or Michael Johnson? It's a shame but thats the way football is nowadays. The price of failure is to big to be risking youngsters. Hopefully Micah Richards would get to keep a place, but he seems like the only hope.
Then again, the flip side is that ADUG could invest in the youth system, making it the best in the world. But that seems unlikely.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Thanks Barney!
I know it will probably not be on their mind at the moment which only adds to the tragedy!
Your right about Micah, he is probably the first name on the team sheet anyway! But I wonder about stalwarts like Dunne?
I think its highly unlikely they will develop the youth system, but hopefully they will surprise me! Instead of trying to buy Fabregas, hopefully they will try to develop a young player to be even better!
Thanks for the comment as always Barney!
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Dan Ellis 10 months ago
I think all City fans are immensly proud of the work Jim Cassell and his team have done in recent years. Without the Youth setup, our recovery from the lower leagues would have been far less likely. However, opportunities in the next few years will be slim and I think we all fear for the academy.
What happens next is anyones guess. I think the comparisons with Chelsea can only go so far, they did not have a consistent talent pipeline pre-Abramovich. Possibly the owners will look at how even Utd needs to harbour home grown talent that may not quite top draw, but wear the shirt with pride week in week out. (Obviously Johnson is ten times the player Fletcher is!)
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Your right Dan, and so they should be proud! However I just hope they dont forget it with all this cash floating around!
At the end of the day, the players that are brought through the youth ranks are always more loyal and more likely to give 100% for the badge than a foreign bought player! (eg. Scholes, Giggs etc at United)
Thanks for the comment!
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The Great Arab Invasion CTID 10 months ago
i do believe we will fully carry on with our youth teams and make them the best in the world these arabs are in it at all levels they want the youth teams so they can learn for there own country on how to run it properly etc and they will invest, yes we wont see as many comming throu but im sure the likes of a micah/johnson/swp would always catch the eye even if they dont make it into citys first team we will sell them to other premier league clubs (just like the big4 do now) the spurs sweetner ring any bells ;) ok thats just a loan but hes playing in the prem and came throu utds youth system so does it really matter what team they end up playing for aslong as there prem standard? we sold swp to chelsea was that bad for the english game because city didnt keep him? (ok lols it was cos chel never played him and he missed his chance lols) if well sell micah to arsenal/utd/chel/real is that bad for the game? i think the answer is no so all this worry is over nothing
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illya mclellan 10 months ago
nice article mate, with some good observations. I would hope that Mark Hughes will be able to make good on his assurances that the youth scheme will continue to play a large role at the club. It could possibly now even become some sort of monster. They should now be able to send scouts to all corners of the globe and employ more of them at that. This could possibly enable them to gain an advantage in spotting talent which could in turn mean the youth program at the club could become even stronger. I think the best thing in regards to the youth program at the club is that it is already established as a strong element within the club and will not therefore easily fade into obscurity. The influx of talent could in fact benefit youth program participants in that they will occasionally come into contact with extremely talented players that will be able to teach them a few things. You would hope so anyway.
I cannot see them selling any of their more established players to the likes of United Chelsea etc now, why would they?
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Alan McGuinness 10 months ago
Good article Keith, and I agree it would be bad for City to stop producing talent. Unfortunately I feel such an occurence is inevitable at the top level, managers are not really given the chance to nurture young talent into the team, and have to focus on immediate success (Wenger being the exception).
A good example is Chelsea. To tell the truth, our youth facilities were basically non-existent before Abramovich came, but he has invested in them and this summer we opened our new Youth Team complex, and it looks very impressive indeed.
John Terry was the last youth team player to really make a name for himself but over the years we've promoted the likes of Carlton Cole and Mikael Forsell. Plus this year we have Scott Sinclair and Franco Di Santo in the first team squad.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Thanks for the pick Alan,
I guess if Chelsea's youth system was basically non-existent before then any sort of investment from Roman in this area is a big bonus.
I think (although I should have mentioned it in the article) the problem with nurturing youth to fulfill their full potential is that it takes time for a manager/coaches to achieve this......and how many managers get much time these days? How can you gradually introuduce a teenager to the the first team if you can be sacked for a run of bad games?
Seem ol Avram couldnt even keep his job and I think he did exceptionally well.
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Salaar Arshad Shamsi 10 months ago
Hats off to you Keith..Sure, Johnson, Stutridge and Richards are fine players but even West Ham has a decent academy that came up with the likes of Lampard, Carrick and Cole earlier and I agree with your point.
NO ARGUMENTS.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Thanks Salaar!
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Andrew McNair 10 months ago
Good read Keith. I think what is more scary is the new owners total disregard for the likes of Dunne, Johnson and Richards when mentioning his team of the future.
Look at Chelsea they still have a base of pre Abramovich players like Terry for example.
Look at the clubs who have been promoted from non league to league one or the championship, they still have players on the books that were there when it all began. Yeovil Town spring to mind.
I just hope they know anything about the game....
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Exactly. I mean Dunne was on the verge of leaving before Hughes joined, maybe these comments will push him out the dooor - I know Id probably want out.
With talents like Richards, Dunne and Johnson already being disregarded for the future, will this spark an exodus? God knows there will be teams lining up for these players. Richards to Chelsea? Dunne to Portsmouth/Spurs? Johnson to Arsenal/Everton?
Even Chelsea would not risk upsetting their long serving players as you rightly state. Why would they? They are some of the best performers at the club and I think ADUG need to realise the same applies to Man City.
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Benjamin Rogers 10 months ago
im a bit worryed for mika Richerds, he may lose his place to a mega star know man city have money to waste and i hope they dont replace Kompany because he's a great star too.
I feel sorry for any young striker at city because they will not get a place thanks to jo and robinho.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
"I feel sorry for any young striker at city because they will not get a place thanks to jo and robinho"
Exactly my thoughts Ben. Though I cant see Robinho being there too long unless City can find some form of immediate success. I have a feeling he is just putting himself in the 'shop window' for the more elite clubs in England.
For instance, if Manchester City AND Arsenal were both bidding for Robinho on that last day then I still believe he would have chosen Arsenal at a fraction of the wages offered from Man City. I think this guy wants to win a lot of trophies, to be the best. And if City can provide that some one else will....
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Ricky O'Neal 10 months ago
It's interesting a focus has finally been put on the possibilities of the devastations the millionaire take overs are causing at clubs that have the potential to produce great players. To be honest, I'm worried for talented youngsters but safe in the knowledge there is always another club who will be willing to take on their services.
That said it doesn't change the fact that we could be potentially looking at a horrible problem for English football and the football academies at the top clubs in England are failing it's player and it's national team because of the commercial nature of the premier league.
It's all part of the bigger picture and you could say The EPL is victim of it's own success and what is happening at the moment will go on further to confirm this in the next few years.
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chris 10 months ago
Nice article... i agree and feel that football is on a downward slope where teams are not promoting within the ranks enough. It isnt the case for all teams though.. throughout the English Leagues teams are calling apon their youth systems.. even Premiership teams.. at the end of the day they have to make the breakthrough some way or another, u cant exactly just ignore them.. but i agree alot of their places in the team are taken by more attractive foreign imports.
U say Arsenal are not helping England...!!??? haha... check the latest England squad, there are a few players that learnt their trade or developed with us and they aint half bad. Bentley, Upson, Cole, Campbell.. and now Theo. If you all are wondering which clubs are detrimenting England's prospects.. look no further than the big spenders, the please their fans with big signings, inflate the market, and create expectation among supporters for these signings to continue. Doing this stunts development in youth players which are ready and they are forced to move to a lower division club to get 1st team football.
Wenger is the only manager who seems to want bring fresh talent through and give players a chance, u may say he is a scruge and is tight with money.. but he has proven he will spend if he sees the right player time and time again. Its not Arsenal's or Arsene's fault that there is simply a lack of talent among english players.. i think most kids are at home eating crisps and playing their latest Ps3 game!!
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John Manchester 10 months ago
Don't be too hasty. Chelsea's Academy we're our opponents in the last Youth Cup final so there's obviously big commitment from them and some cracking players coming through. The difference from City and the reason why they have no youth coming through to the first team yet is that they have only been seriously building youth talent since Abramovich took over. It takes 10 years to develop top talent and bring to the first eleven.
Granted the expensive imports will make it harder for the kids but it will also help to create even better youth talent. 26 players have moved through the City Academy system to the first team, some have been sold on to Premiership and Championship teams. One recent estimate valued City's Academy successes at £100 million. Nobdy, however rich, would wish to damage that.
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Norvin Eitzen 10 months ago
Altogether some great points. I certainly would rather see Richards on the pitch than some over priced import.
On the "Chelsea doesn't promote youth players" point, didn't Chelsea promote Scott Sinclair?
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Yes I realise they do promote youth, I just dont think they do it to the standard of Man City(not many do), and if City hope to follow Chelsea's bluprint, then I hope the youth system doesnt follow suit too.
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Willie Nandi 10 months ago
I think everyone must get used to the fact that the EPL is no longer the perfect playground to nurture young talent. It is a competitive league with a lot at stake.
Someone (the FA) needs to wake up and come up with alternatives.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Good point willie.
Maybe its far too late.
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Simon Williams 10 months ago
Good angle to view the City shenanigans Keith, but I do not hold quite so many fears for the future of City's academy per se.
I think you slightly exaggerate the talent of some of City's youngsters 'Michael Johnson is one of the most exciting talents in the world right now' as an example. Johnson is a decent player, who could be a very good player, but I certainly wouldn't class him amongst the best young talent in the World.
And if he is among the best, then he has nothing to fear at the Arabs want the best young talent in the world.
Mark Hughes has stated that the academy is still important, and even if players don't come through to their first team anymore, they will find a team somewhere else (llike Bradley Wright Phillips, Stephen Jordan and Miller all did after leaving Eastlands).
It comes down to what City fans want. Do they want a team of young players who will not win anything and they will subsequently have to sell to mega-rich teams if they are any good, or do they want a team who can challenge at the top end of the game.
Its now virtually impossible to have both, the Nevilles era United team was the last bastion of a group of young English players emerging together to form the bulk of a Championship winning team.
They can't have both, there are just not enough top class young English players to go round that could leave City with a team full of them that could also challenge the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd, Barcelona and Real Madrid etc etc, whose focus is all about global issues.
Aston Villa also have an excellent academy, and the same will happen to them if they are serious about being at the top.
The global academy systems that Chelsea and Arsenal have pioneered, with Man Utd, and now Liverpool following, are the only way to bring through enough young players that will be good enough to be at the top end, and that involves a complete scattergun approach of buying a multiple of nationalities and ages from the best around, and seeing what you get.
English players will still come through at those clubs, and at Man City in the future, but only if they are really top-drawer. The rest will find other clubs who do not have the money to buy up every good young player in the world they can find, so the creme will still rise if they are late developers.
The days of a Liverpool of Manchester born lad playing for his home town club are virtually dead, this will only happen once in a blue moon, if you excuse the pun :-)
Is that a good thing? Not in the eyes of the majority of people
Was it inevitable from the moment the global brand called the Premier League was formed? Absolutely.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
I was waiting for someone to spot the Michael Johnson line. To be honest I inserted it as a bit of tongue in cheek humour. It reflects how much the English media have blown him out of proportion Rooney-style. A promising player, that he is but your right you wouldnt exactly rate him alongside Sergio Aguero etc.
"The days of a Liverpool or Manchester born lad playing for his home town club are virtually dead, this will only happen once in a blue moon" -
that for me basically the whole point for me too Simon, call me an ol romantic but as much as I admire some foreign players, I love to see local lads playing with their home town. Of course, Manchester United etc would never have achieved so much success without foreign players but I guess Im just not looking forward to the days when Scholes, Brown, Gerrard, Carragher etc aint donning the shirt of their hometown anymore.
Everton fans must have been extremely proud to see Rooney in the blue of Everton, knowing he erupted from their academy....we all know what emotion has replaced the pride now though! :)
I guess your right about the Premier League being formed too, Scudamore since has made it a goldmine and I guess the youth systems were always going to die a slow death since.
Thanks for the comment Simon.
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Simon Williams 10 months ago
I did think the Johnson comment was a little out of character for someone of your intelligence Keith :-)
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Anthony Sanchez 10 months ago
It ain't over till the fat lady sings Simon.People were saying the days of Mancunian lads playing for United were over twenty years ago and they were wrong i'm hoping you will be too!
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Willie Nandi 10 months ago
I think everyone must get used to the fact that the EPL is no longer the perfect playground to nurture young talent. It is a competitive league with a lot at stake.
Someone (the FA) needs to wake up and come up with alternatives.
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Ray Jackson 10 months ago
It's a good article. A lot of City fans have the same worry. My hope is that the reason ADUG picked City, of all clubs, is because of their youth system. ADUG are, after all, looking to promote Abu Dhabi and City is an excellent way of capturing the best players in that country and funneling them into the City system. Shinawatra planned to open academies in Thailand, China and the USA and, from what I can gather, the ADUG's are pretty much with that program. So I think the "new Chelsea" noises they're making at the moment is just to get media attention. I think the plan has international youth development at its core.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
Lets hope so eh Ray.
If such a great academy is already there, then why not keep devolping it?
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S B 10 months ago
At this juncture I would like to point out that when Blatter spoke of his `Quotas` I was probably the only one on this site to openly support it and for the very reasons in this article.
This player trade thing is getting ridiculous. Clubs also buy very young players which amazingly contributes simultaneously to the destruction of two leagues....and the destruction of players themselves like Anderson who had shown promise at an early age but now with all the fame in his head can not do more than waddle around the field like a lost duck.
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Keith Griffin 10 months ago
"Anderson who had shown promise at an early age but now with all the fame in his head can not do more than waddle around the field like a lost duck"
Haha! I have to say I like Anderson. Though I must pose a quick question: Anderson was one of United most applauded players last season, due to his strength, tackling back and his ability to provide energy and bite to the midfield. Now if he basically is a "suitcase" with the Brazilian side, what does that say about the EPL in general?
Thanks for the comment S.
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S B 10 months ago
I can`t say I`ve seen much to like about him.... since the Champs League thing his game has gone really sour.
I tend to believe that he`s much too young to be thinking that he`s somehow gotten where he had to get to.
A bad season for him with United this year could be all it takes for him to be `loaned` to some small club and maybe then he`ll realise the state he`s in.
Sobis is injured and Pato had a bad spell but Anderson was just silently `CUT` without any explanation or ceremony- I think I`m not the only one who sees what I`m talking about.
Picked it up early in the first match versus ARG. He looked horrible and he even faked a limp and asked to be subbed- I think he felt lost on that field.
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Maire Ofeire 10 months ago
Now Keith I was agreeing with you for quite a bit until you had to have a dig at my wonderful Arsenal. Wenger seems to get a very bad doing from the media on his foreign imports but when it comes to youth talent if the English guys are good enough Wenger will give them their chance.
Look at those up and coming players at the Arsenal: Jack Wilshere, James Shea, Gavin Hoyte, Jay Simpson, Rene Steer, Kieran Gibbs, Henri Lansbury, Abu Ogogo, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Rhys Murphy, Tomas Cruise and Mark Randall among many other young English guys at the club.
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Jason Halfpenny 6 months ago
Lmao, shows none of you actually pay attention to the Media enough.
Abu Dhabi have already promised Manchester City FC that they will continue to invest in the Youth Acadamy.
Their plans are not only to invest in the Club itself & make City another Global Force but also to continue building on the BEST Academy on the UK.
They make it very clear that they will not allow City to loose their famed academy unlike United who neglected their Academy for Glory.
United have to poach & steal other Clubs youth talent but City will not be put in that position.
As for Micha Richards, right now he is an utter disgrace, does not deserve a first team place & nor does Dunne.
The lose to Notts Forest was all down to 3 players, Richards, Dunne & Ball.
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Keith Griffin 6 months ago
What is happening with Micah at the moment? Really seems rusty. Do you think he needs to be just benched for awhile?
As for Dunne, I wonder will he stay at City much longer?
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Jason Halfpenny 6 months ago
If i had my way id drop Micha Richards to the bench, ship Michael Ball out as he is a complete waste of space and Richard Dunne is deflating into a useless championship defender. Dunne shipped out also.
Not good enough & the three players showed that against Forest.
We just need a good CH and Vincent Kompany can take over from Dunne.
not forgeting a new DM too.
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Keith Griffin 6 months ago
Maybe it would be better to wait till the summer though eh? we all know how January signings settle in.
Let Chelsea have Richards, sure to get 20 million out of them! :)
10 million for Dunne to Spurs!
hell, the arabs wont even have to dip into their pockets.
Still, if either was to hit form again.... cant go wrong with the partnership they form.
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Jason Halfpenny 6 months ago
We need a CH & CD capable of 90% performance season after season like the top 4, not these washouts who give their best then mess up or mess up then give their best.
Tired of Dunne getting credit for nothing & Richards is just a mass ego of cr*p, spends more time babbling about how good he is, staring in his own show on a website about him & pumping weights in the gym these days..
Id be happy for City to sell both Richards & Dunne aslong as they replace them with better.
Unfortunetly we will have to put up with Calamity Dunne for 1 or 2 more seasons, brother to Calamity James.
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