10719 replies to this topic

[Boogle]

This sounds like the sort of thing that I had expected of JM, having made his views quite clear about the current youth set up.

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/articl...d=214748&cpid=8

[Frewm]

We are in an absolutely fantastic position - leading the league by 7, CC Semis, etc - we have a truckload of money - the best squad on this earth (arguably) - but I still feel like we will never become a top team until our youth system gets a huge overhaul. Don't get me wrong - over the past few years we've produced some fantastic players (Terry, Huth, Cole, Forrsell, etc) but when you look at the likes of Man Utd in the mid-90's - their key squad members were mainly the home-grown players in Becks, Nevilles, Scholes, Butt, etc. Unless we can get to the stage when we are consistently creating talented youth players - we will never be the top side we are fighting to become.

[My Blood Is Blue]

NO!

Just so that you all no my answer to this question before I get replies moaning at me!

It's just that there's a Spurs fan in my office and he said to me the other day how Chelsea may as well scrap our Youth Academy as we will just buy the best youngsters around and can buy any new players we need to bring in.

I said...

We must keep our YA because every club has to produce home grown talent and we are building the best facilities in the world which should help us to produce some of the finest talent in the world. I said to him that yes we can buy young talent and most players we want, but our best player is JT and without him we wouldn't be walking away with the title this year. I said even if we produce only 1 JT every 5 years then that is fine by me because you MUST always have true blood in your team. You must have a player who loves the club he playing for not just loving the money he gets paid.

What do others think to this? To me it seems as though all the crap that is said about CFC and how we want to buy success is just being dreamed up by other fans who then presume that that is what we are doing and what we will be doing in the future.

[My Blood Is Blue]

I think this is something that needs and will become very important for the future of Chelsea Football Clubs success. Our youth team setup and reserves needs to be extremely strong...because JM is a manager who believes in himself, I belive in him too. He feels he only needs a squad of 24/25 players, and I doubt his opinion will change for next season. I see him shipping 2 or 3 players out in the summer and replacing them and also bringing in a left back a midfielder and an attacking winger to add to the squad. I expect next year we will have a squad of 26/27 players. BUT JM needs to start fulfilling his plans for a superb youth set up very soon! Because it is times like this, late on in the season with lots of games and when injuries and fatigue start to occur, you want to be able to call on good young players to play the odd game to replace people like Bridge etc if they get a bad injury. If you look at Arsenal and UTD they do have a strong youth setup and good youth players who can come in, whereas at the moment we are forced to play our players out of position I.e. Gallas, Ferreiera or Smertin at left back! Where I feel if we could call upon a young left back from our youth system to fill in for 4 or 5 games it would be great for the future and would be better for our team as a whole to have a naturla player for each position. If you get what I mean.

Before anyone moans at me I know JM wants to do this and we are aiming to set it up but I just feel it needs to start pretty soon, and we need to start recruiting the hottest young talent. What do you think?

[ChAoS]

When I turned on the televison this morning(Singapore), I saw this TV programme showing a U-15 Club Tournament Man utd hosted. It involved clubs such as Kashima Reysol(Japan), Corinthians(Brazil), Man Utd(of course), Man City, some African team, A USA club and some top European club and South American club, and lastly Arsenal. I saw Ferguson attending this youth tournament. I think this is an extremely good idea as this led to them having get all those talented home-grown talent. This is one of their way that made Man Utd one of the leading clubs with many talented home-grown youngsters. After the tournament, they get go on and sign the " MVP of the tournament" and sign the tournament's gems. I believe we should be following them (once Cobham is built), we should start hosting this kind of tournament,so we could scout youngsters easily. And recently we made our first step towards signing young talent by grabbing Lewis Baker and James Page (the 10 year old striker, 2 times goldenboot winner from Essere Soccer School), signed few months ago. We hosted a small tournament, which involved Chelsea, Leyton Orient, Pompey and Luton Town and we grab Baker after his impressive performances. Really love the way the club is running and the plan to sign more youngsters than spending millions.

[PassNMove]

Well it just went underway today. Held in Holland. Youngsters range from as low as 15 years old took part in this tournament. I bet thousands of talent spotter is among the crowds.

My point is, this is definitely our chance to spot more talents. And after watching the first half between Holland and Japan, I believed Arsenal has really bought a bargain. That Abeyi guy was amazing! Similar to Robben but right-footed.

And talking about Robben, he alongside other superstars including Ronaldinho and Henry start their career here. Getting spotted and so on. Really hope Mourinho(Or anyone in charge) has send a couple of fellas to do the spotting job.

http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/index/0,2442,W...p=WYC&year=2005

Not sure if England took part. Did they?

[Paul Mcgoochan]

Hopefully this will be the start of things to come. A club of our size to have a youth team that has won not won bugger all in 44 years is not very good. The winds are a changing.
http://www.chelseafc.com/article.asp?hlid=...onds+1&nav=news

[Seantg]

Late notice I know but Chelsea youth are playing FC Porto youth in the semi-finals of the NI Milk Cup and the game is live on the web @

http://www.bbc.co.uk...reland/milkcup/

Kick off is at 8.00 pm and I expect the final will be on live tomorrow as well.

[Robin Dyer]

Chelsea are involved in another Cup Final. Already this season we have won the Samsung Trophy and the World Series of Football (??) [lol]... Now for something more significant... The Milk Cup.

Please use this thread for all news and discussion relating to the Chelsea Youth v Barclona Youth Cup Final. Thanks!

[Gary Stone]

Just seen the final score for this game and the scoreline suggests another impressive performance from the young players. Interesting to see if Sinclair made the scoresheet again once the report is up on the official website.

[Codger]

From the OCFCWS

Tribunal sets fees for youth players
Wednesday, Nov 09, 2005

"The Football League Appeals Committee has set the three transfer fees that Chelsea has to pay for the youth team players signed during summer."

REad the full article on the Chelsea FC web site.

[dooder12]

Chelsea youth team beat Arsenals youth team 3-1 today. Seems that the youth setup is taking real shape. I thought Wenger was supposed to have all the best young talent ;)?

[colin]

According to the press here in South East Asia, reserve players James and Phil Younghusband are going to be turning out for the Philippines when they meet Thailand in their opening match of the SEA Games football tournament later today. Apparently they qualify to play for the country because their mum is Filipino.

[True Blue Gary]

http://www.chelseafc.com/article.asp?hlid=...34;=latest+news

I think we did the right thing in making Mancienne captain.

Even Jonah Elmer joined the team after 55 minutes.

[timk]

The U18's went down to single goal against Southampton in top of the table clash at Cobham yesterday, Saints now maintain 6 point lead in youth team table. CFC U16's won 1-0.

Link to Saints website with match report, nothing on CFC yet.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/article.asp?arti...cademy+round+up

Must be something in the water down there, they are quoting £7m for Theo Walcott at 16! or else it's Clive's motivational speeches...