Say what you want about City's youth but...

...A world class player in a youth team comes around very rarely, and only a couple in a lifetime.

Ramsey surely would now be classed as a world class player, now that he's at a club that includes the likes of Ronaldo, Dybala & Chiellini.

400k a week...As if he's going to be earning more than Bale soon haha (that's mad)

but clearly we just need to do whatever we were doing in 2006..

...A world class player in a youth team comes around very rarely, and only a couple in a lifetime.

Ramsey surely would now be classed as a world class player, now that he's at a club that includes the likes of Ronaldo, Dybala & Chiellini.

400k a week...As if he's going to be earning more than Bale soon haha (that's mad)

but clearly we just need to do whatever we were doing in 2006..

well we have more academy players, more coaches who all have more qualifications , more facilities which are also better facilities , we were spending less than 1/10 th of what we do now.
but without much talent and other clubs able to cherry pick the little talent we do have its all pretty pointless.

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

it was our golden generation mate . bit like Uniteds class of 92 only on a smaller scale , its a real shame the club did not have the stature at the time to hold on to them.

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

it was our golden generation mate . bit like Uniteds class of 92 only on a smaller scale , its a real shame the club did not have the stature at the time to hold on to them.

Give it time, and we'll start feeling the benefit of what warnock has done.

He's moved the under 18s to the under 23s
Hes moved the 16s to play for the 18s
Cleared out a load of underperforming youngsters
Anyone showing promise is shipped out on loan to play REAL football games
If we maintain Premier League status, we will attract the better of the local youth.
This regime only started a year ago, and we will not see the benefits until todays 11 year olds have gone through tge system.

Yes, the youth system has been neglected for many years, and in that time football itself has changed with the rise of the premier league super powers (chelsea, man city) but even they are starting to show the cracks of hoarding the best british youth, with the likes of Sancho, Hudson-Odoi and Montado wanting away.

Have patience, we are doing the right thing, but it will not happen overnight. Lets come back in 4 years and see where we are.

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

it was our golden generation mate . bit like Uniteds class of 92 only on a smaller scale , its a real shame the club did not have the stature at the time to hold on to them.

Give it time, and we'll start feeling the benefit of what warnock has done.

He's moved the under 18s to the under 23s
Hes moved the 16s to play for the 18s
Cleared out a load of underperforming youngsters
Anyone showing promise is shipped out on loan to play REAL football games
If we maintain Premier League status, we will attract the better of the local youth.
This regime only started a year ago, and we will not see the benefits until todays 11 year olds have gone through tge system.

Yes, the youth system has been neglected for many years, and in that time football itself has changed with the rise of the premier league super powers (chelsea, man city) but even they are starting to show the cracks of hoarding the best british youth, with the likes of Sancho, Hudson-Odoi and Montado wanting away.

Have patience, we are doing the right thing, but it will not happen overnight. Lets come back in 4 years and see where we are.

So your saying that in a few years time we will see at least a couple of players coming through?


Because I am told by some coaches, most of our coaches down there have not got a clue.


Plus, 9 years ago we were told the same, then 6 years ago, then two years ago?


9 years of producing nothing, is a long long time, for me in what I am told the current system only cares about today, not tomorrow.

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

it was our golden generation mate . bit like Uniteds class of 92 only on a smaller scale , its a real shame the club did not have the stature at the time to hold on to them.

Give it time, and we'll start feeling the benefit of what warnock has done.

He's moved the under 18s to the under 23s
Hes moved the 16s to play for the 18s
Cleared out a load of underperforming youngsters
Anyone showing promise is shipped out on loan to play REAL football games
If we maintain Premier League status, we will attract the better of the local youth.
This regime only started a year ago, and we will not see the benefits until todays 11 year olds have gone through tge system.

Yes, the youth system has been neglected for many years, and in that time football itself has changed with the rise of the premier league super powers (chelsea, man city) but even they are starting to show the cracks of hoarding the best british youth, with the likes of Sancho, Hudson-Odoi and Montado wanting away.

Have patience, we are doing the right thing, but it will not happen overnight. Lets come back in 4 years and see where we are.

So your saying that in a few years time we will see at least a couple of players coming through?


Because I am told by some coaches, most of our coaches down there have not got a clue.


Plus, 9 years ago we were told the same, then 6 years ago, then two years ago?


9 years of producing nothing, is a long long time, for me in what I am told the current system only cares about today, not tomorrow.

To be fair, in a youth /development system 10 years could be what it takes. The whole point of this sort of system is you develop them at a very young age, you can't just work on youth players and suddenly chuck them in your team 8 years later at the age of 16.

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

it was our golden generation mate . bit like Uniteds class of 92 only on a smaller scale , its a real shame the club did not have the stature at the time to hold on to them.

Give it time, and we'll start feeling the benefit of what warnock has done.

He's moved the under 18s to the under 23s
Hes moved the 16s to play for the 18s
Cleared out a load of underperforming youngsters
Anyone showing promise is shipped out on loan to play REAL football games
If we maintain Premier League status, we will attract the better of the local youth.
This regime only started a year ago, and we will not see the benefits until todays 11 year olds have gone through tge system.

Yes, the youth system has been neglected for many years, and in that time football itself has changed with the rise of the premier league super powers (chelsea, man city) but even they are starting to show the cracks of hoarding the best british youth, with the likes of Sancho, Hudson-Odoi and Montado wanting away.

Have patience, we are doing the right thing, but it will not happen overnight. Lets come back in 4 years and see where we are.

So your saying that in a few years time we will see at least a couple of players coming through?


Because I am told by some coaches, most of our coaches down there have not got a clue.


Plus, 9 years ago we were told the same, then 6 years ago, then two years ago?


9 years of producing nothing, is a long long time, for me in what I am told the current system only cares about today, not tomorrow.

To be fair, in a youth /development system 10 years could be what it takes. The whole point of this sort of system is you develop them at a very young age, you can't just work on youth players and suddenly chuck them in your team 8 years later at the age of 16.

To be fair, we already had a good system and it was working well

Its been neglected and thats why we got rid of 10 players over a year ago from it.
It needs looking at badly.
Bellamy really cared and I chatted to him when he was over last and he really was getting stuck in to it.
Just gutted he has had to stand down, personally I believe he should not have had to stand down, innocent till proven guilty

Bells was only getting expenses, not doing it for the money, but for the love of the game and City

I would love us to bring through our own players but to me it seems unless you’re one of the top 10 premiership teams and willing to invest heavily then you just won’t be able to keep them. You only have to look at that lad that we had that joined Man City and now off to Germany with a big signings on fee. Unfortunately the way it works has changed from the past. The likes of Manchester City can afford to have scouts everywhere and know they can pick and choose.

Ramsey would of been stolen from our academy ages ago if it where now.

One of the big teams would of just turned up an said thank you we will take him here’s 500k

The burning question is always gonna be the same. , what is coming through the system. ? The answer over the last ten years is nothing. I agree with Annis, why did Bellamy have to stand Down. He was giving us his knowledge. , experience for nothing, probably too demanding for some who threw it back at him.Surely someone should have at least come close to the first team in that time.I notice plenty strutting around down there with all the gear on, something is not right.

We say not getting the local talent in the team but I struggle to think of many players under the age of 27 from the South Wales area who we would want in our team now The young lad that went to Man City seems to be a lost talent . Can anyone name anyone from our catchment area who we lost to other clubs that we would want ?

The burning question is always gonna be the same. , what is coming through the system. ? The answer over the last ten years is nothing. I agree with Annis, why did Bellamy have to stand Down. He was giving us his knowledge. , experience for nothing, probably too demanding for some who threw it back at him.Surely someone should have at least come close to the first team in that time.I notice plenty strutting around down there with all the gear on, something is not right.

Our club should of said No you stay on and we fully support you

The problem is yes over 8 or 9 years ago we were producing some good players quite regularly.

Now Zero for years and years.

Spot on.

People say Rhys Healey is the best we’ve produced in recent years, but he didn’t even come through our academy.

We say not getting the local talent in the team but I struggle to think of many players under the age of 27 from the South Wales area who we would want in our team now The young lad that went to Man City seems to be a lost talent . Can anyone name anyone from our catchment area who we lost to other clubs that we would want ?

your correct there isn't anyone, and the players that get released from our academy seem to go league one at best. the talent just is not there.

ive said this loads of times on here but people prefer to think its a problem at the academy and that you can coach talent into players .

We say not getting the local talent in the team but I struggle to think of many players under the age of 27 from the South Wales area who we would want in our team now The young lad that went to Man City seems to be a lost talent . Can anyone name anyone from our catchment area who we lost to other clubs that we would want ?

Now that is a good question and be interested to see people's replies.

Ramsey would of been stolen from our academy ages ago if it where now.

One of the big teams would of just turned up an said thank you we will take him here’s 500k

Agreed, look at Rabbi Montando, nicked by Man City and just sold to Schalke for 11.5M!

Because they had a better Academy......

Dogfound, so your saying zero talent in the area for the last ten years. I say you identify raw talent and polish it. I can't accept we have failed to produce anything in that time. Unbelievable.

Watch this space. 2/3 years time. We will have a very strong U18 set up

Dogfound, so your saying zero talent in the area for the last ten years. I say you identify raw talent and polish it. I can't accept we have failed to produce anything in that time. Unbelievable.

had we completely missed any they would be playing premier league elsewhere surely .

had we not recognised the extent of some kids talent and realeased him another club would have snapped him up surely .
Wales as a nation has never produced in numbers { when has our national team ever had 11 top tier players that were born and bred in Wales } let alone our catchment area. and at the moment the standard required is higher than its ever been due to foreign imports.

you can not accept all you like its the truth.

Dogfound, do you think we are identifying the best talent, but failing to nurture to the next level. If so, then those players are done and will rarely get another opportunity elsewhere. We have to ask questions in my opinion, rather than give them a ready made excuse for failing to produce. Not all players are Bale or Ramsey who I know was identified at eight as a cert to make the grade. Yes we are now in the Prem, but I don't see that as an excuse not to expect some return?

Dogfound, do you think we are identifying the best talent, but failing to nurture to the next level. If so, then those players are done and will rarely get another opportunity elsewhere. We have to ask questions in my opinion, rather than give them a ready made excuse for failing to produce. Not all players are Bale or Ramsey who I know was identified at eight as a cert to make the grade. Yes we are now in the Prem, but I don't see that as an excuse not to expect some return?

most academy teams not just ours are vehicles for 2 or 3 players { the ones that really stand a chance } .of course the others are decent and maybe will produce a surprise developing a bit later , but its the Ramseys and Blakes { darcy } its all about. and if we were ever to wrongly release a player that stands a genuine chance other clubs would be snatching them up. age group football is a small world, coaches change clubs { taking knowledge of talent with them } and of course clubs play one and other regular. the ones who have something are known.

but my overall point is historically we had Tosh and then how many years before the next genuine top class player ?

maybe ive missed one but Simon Howarth springs to mind and after that Rambo. I just do not see that spending money ,increasing and improving facilities and increasing the in take of boys will improve this especially when every other club has done likewise and any small improvements in standards due to academies ill be universal

Dogfound, not sure you get what I'm saying. We are failing to develop players from the point of spotting there talent. I'm not suggesting we get more in or throw any more money at it. I question the point of it mate.

Dogfound, not sure you get what I'm saying. We are failing to develop players from the point of spotting there talent. I'm not suggesting we get more in or throw any more money at it. I question the point of it mate.

we along with other clubs are all recruiting more kids { through academies and satellite development centers } than we have ever done ,to a point where its a bit silly tbh.{I know lots of kids who have been enrolled in one or other that although decent were nowhere near special , almost everyone knows of someone with a kid at the academy or with swanseas academy . pre academy you had to be special and still maybe not make it } don't think we are missing the talent, I honestly do not think its out there certainly not in any numbers. and should we find the nxt Rambo at 8, they be gone by 14..

I have questioned the whole point of it for years. not sure where it ends, more facilities , more kids , more coaches, more equipment , more money no end product.

Dogfound, yeah mate, difficult to see where it's all going. Maybe there all happy playing on computers ha. Up the City.

Dogfound, yeah mate, difficult to see where it's all going. Maybe there all happy playing on computers ha. Up the City.

must be costing stupid amounts, just to have a player on loan at Hereford.

Maybe the problem of lack of talent coming out of the South Wales area is nothing to do with the academy but the coaching a local clubs Many people put their time in for free to run local football clubs and that allows boys and girls to enjoy the game .
Do our coaches have enough qualifications in general. I heard a fact years back on talk sport that for every pro licence football coach in uk that Spain has 15 and figures similar in Germany , France and Italy
So kids in those countries are getting in gerenal much better coaching before some are selected to go to the pro clubs. I think somehow the Welsh Fa must help people who are willing to gain top level qualifications some help rather than courses costing north of £3,000
Bale and Ramsey would have come through in any system but is the others who we need to improve

Grassroots is the issue

Young football should’ve buzzing in wales since the Euros but it’s not

Local clubs near me are shutting every week cos there is little or no funding to support them

This is where kids first learn to play until pro clubs take them into academies and more should be invested to keep local clubs afloat young kids interested in football and out of trouble and adequate coaches to develop them from a young age

It’s fantastic that parents and volunteers coach these kids for free but they are not at a level to enhance the kids ability and in my opinion by the time most youngsters are either 7 or 8 they have either not developed aren’t bothered about contiuining or have bounced around clubs because they have folded

Getting them interested early is key teaching them eary is key therefore grassroots football is key to us and Swansea finding players capable of becoming stars

Every youngster generally begins life at a local club in their area that’s where the money should be invested

As others have said we have welsh clubs with good facilities and coaches but they take kids that have gone through grassroots that isn’t invested in enough early enough in my opinikn

Grassroots is the issue

Young football should’ve buzzing in wales since the Euros but it’s not

Local clubs near me are shutting every week cos there is little or no funding to support them

This is where kids first learn to play until pro clubs take them into academies and more should be invested to keep local clubs afloat young kids interested in football and out of trouble and adequate coaches to develop them from a young age

It’s fantastic that parents and volunteers coach these kids for free but they are not at a level to enhance the kids ability and in my opinion by the time most youngsters are either 7 or 8 they have either not developed aren’t bothered about contiuining or have bounced around clubs because they have folded

Getting them interested early is key teaching them eary is key therefore grassroots football is key to us and Swansea finding players capable of becoming stars

Every youngster generally begins life at a local club in their area that’s where the money should be invested

As others have said we have welsh clubs with good facilities and coaches but they take kids that have gone through grassroots that isn’t invested in enough early enough in my opinikn

more football played in Wales than ever before
more pitches
more artificial all weather pitches
more in door pitches
thousands of more qualified coaches.
academies ,not just pro clubs but college academies and LOW academies.
tens of millions more spent in development.
and the answer is more of the above..and then more again and then more again.

does Wales under achieve developing players...nope.

under perform for its population nop.


sorry I do not agree.

Grassroots is the issue

Young football should’ve buzzing in wales since the Euros but it’s not

Local clubs near me are shutting every week cos there is little or no funding to support them

This is where kids first learn to play until pro clubs take them into academies and more should be invested to keep local clubs afloat young kids interested in football and out of trouble and adequate coaches to develop them from a young age

It’s fantastic that parents and volunteers coach these kids for free but they are not at a level to enhance the kids ability and in my opinion by the time most youngsters are either 7 or 8 they have either not developed aren’t bothered about contiuining or have bounced around clubs because they have folded

Getting them interested early is key teaching them eary is key therefore grassroots football is key to us and Swansea finding players capable of becoming stars

Every youngster generally begins life at a local club in their area that’s where the money should be invested

As others have said we have welsh clubs with good facilities and coaches but they take kids that have gone through grassroots that isn’t invested in enough early enough in my opinikn

more football played in Wales than ever before
more pitches
more artificial all weather pitches
more in door pitches
thousands of more qualified coaches.
academies ,not just pro clubs but college academies and LOW academies.
tens of millions more spent in development.
and the answer is more of the above..and then more again and then more again.

does Wales under achieve developing players...nope.

under perform for its population nop.


sorry I do not agree.

That doesn’t answer what I said does it

Kids start playing football at your local towns club not cardiff city or othe rpro clubs

These clubs they start at are not funded and dying all over

Enthusiasm and good coaching needs to come from a young age the people who volunteer are wonderful but they are not coaches

Invest early not when they are 8/9/10 and already lost years of development isn’t point