' Joe Ralls and Kadeem Harris '

Joe Ralls and Kadeem Harris


By Scott Johnson

18th April 2015

Joe Ralls and Kadeem Harris have finally made the breakthrough, but they have been held back for so much time you wonder whether their development has been affected as a result.

Ralls made his Cardiff debut in August 2011 but has featured only infrequently since, while Harris joined in January 2012 but only made his senior debut this season.

When you consider that Harris was awarded the League Two Apprentice of the Year award back in April 2011 while at Wycombe, his potential has been an open secret for four years.

I appreciate there are certain mitigating circumstances at play here, as Harris has struggled with a number of injuries and a big, baggy senior squad has blocked their path, but there are no such obstacles in place any more.

If Cardiff want to stand on their own two feet, youth development needs to be a cornerstone and the risk is minimal compared to the potential benefits.

I’m not advocating using players that are of an insufficient standard or not prepared for senior football, but what is the point of running an academy if you have no intention of bringing through the cream of the crop?

You might as well pull the plug and utilise the money in other ways.

Seems sensible that.

Since the selling of Ramsey we have produced nothing from the academy or the development squad. It just seems a waste business model.

Both ralls and Harris had nothing to do with the academy.

I guess only John and Nugent have made a limited break through into the first team. nobody we have let go has made it back into the championship. So our recruitment must be poor, but selection from the academy to senior football accurate.