That was a superb article and it’s exactly how I feel. It’s about balance and getting the right players for the club and the teams to progress. They aren’t going to all come from one place. The women’s team seem to get it right.
As always, you seem to hit it on the head with your comments The Score. Spot on as they say. I think all is one we agree it is extremely disappointing but this whole situation has arisen and that Neil Bath in particular has found it untenable to stay even if there is some thought that he was leading of a rest or new direction. Most important you make a couple of very salient points.
Firstly, that are Academy is there for a lot more than just bring you forward players for the first team. It is a much more rounded part of the club with education being at the horse of it for those that are good enough to participate on the sporting side. I have been to the Academy and it’s in a really impressive set up. Ensuring these potential footballers have a first class education in case they do not make it is the heart and soul of the philosophy. This insures that those that aren’t good enough for Chelsea but good enough to have a football career or well and truly trained as good as anybody and you can see that around the leagues now with the extent of Chelsea youth players that now play at other clubs. Those that are not good enough or then set up for life with a good education for alternative career.
Secondly, if we see ourselves as an elite club, it is always going to be hard for any but a few to break through into the Premier League team. This is the same for all the big clubs. Thank you again for your insight and time putting this article together. Accurate, well balanced and very thoughtful.
The other part of the Academy which is forgotten is that it's a training ground for coaches too, many start with the younger age groups before moving up to the U18 & U21's and then onto First team either here or elsewhere.
That was a superb article and it’s exactly how I feel. It’s about balance and getting the right players for the club and the teams to progress. They aren’t going to all come from one place. The women’s team seem to get it right.
As always, you seem to hit it on the head with your comments The Score. Spot on as they say. I think all is one we agree it is extremely disappointing but this whole situation has arisen and that Neil Bath in particular has found it untenable to stay even if there is some thought that he was leading of a rest or new direction. Most important you make a couple of very salient points.
Firstly, that are Academy is there for a lot more than just bring you forward players for the first team. It is a much more rounded part of the club with education being at the horse of it for those that are good enough to participate on the sporting side. I have been to the Academy and it’s in a really impressive set up. Ensuring these potential footballers have a first class education in case they do not make it is the heart and soul of the philosophy. This insures that those that aren’t good enough for Chelsea but good enough to have a football career or well and truly trained as good as anybody and you can see that around the leagues now with the extent of Chelsea youth players that now play at other clubs. Those that are not good enough or then set up for life with a good education for alternative career.
Secondly, if we see ourselves as an elite club, it is always going to be hard for any but a few to break through into the Premier League team. This is the same for all the big clubs. Thank you again for your insight and time putting this article together. Accurate, well balanced and very thoughtful.
Great article Score…. Right on the money👍👍
The other part of the Academy which is forgotten is that it's a training ground for coaches too, many start with the younger age groups before moving up to the U18 & U21's and then onto First team either here or elsewhere.