How long will it be before...

[70's Mike]

But it worked and I dont see how a club can be judged on its future.

 

it worked in a different country and at a time when the game was entirely different, as many posters on here keep telling me when i harp on about the saints from 78 to 86

[saintjay77]

A couple of things about Ajax's "academy". They are one of the big 3 clubs in the Netherlands (the biggest traditionally) and therefore have the pick of most of the decent youngsters in their country. Holland also does not have the stringent work permit regulations the UK does, therefore they are able pick up youngsters from all over the Dutch colonies and also Brazil. We have to wait until players are full internationals from a top ranked country, by which time they are too expensive for us.

 

In past years these players have graced the Ajax team for years to come, suplimented by a few star internationals, which made them one of the best in Europe. These days however, their "academy" is mostly used like ours, to develop players for their sell on value.

 

Isnt this what Rupes has hinted at what our club is aiming to aspire to though?

 

I think the policy we have is there to not only make the use out of our acadamy but also to attract some of the best youth in the country to want to come to us and join our acadamy, therefor giving us the pick of the best youngsters available to us.

 

Holands approach on the youth system right accross the country is light years ahead of anything in England and Ajax are the team that seem to have benifited the most. Maybe because traditionally they are one of the big teams but there policy on bringing through youth has both made and kept them as one of the big teams in Holand.

 

We are miles away and I think if we just became a stable team in the prem with a strong youth policy it would be a minor miricle and something that should be applauded. In fact just to survive in the CCC right now would seem like winning the champions league to most of us.

 

Using the youth system will always be a source of revenue to the club as it is at Ajax but if each year we can bring through 3 kids and sell 1 then we will be making more progress in the youth system than anyone else and become stronger for it.

[krissyboy31]

Isnt this what Rupes has hinted at what our club is aiming to aspire to though?

 

I think the policy we have is there to not only make the use out of our acadamy but also to attract some of the best youth in the country to want to come to us and join our acadamy, therefor giving us the pick of the best youngsters available to us.

 

Holands approach on the youth system right accross the country is light years ahead of anything in England and Ajax are the team that seem to have benifited the most. Maybe because traditionally they are one of the big teams but there policy on bringing through youth has both made and kept them as one of the big teams in Holand.

 

We are miles away and I think if we just became a stable team in the prem with a strong youth policy it would be a minor miricle and something that should be applauded. In fact just to survive in the CCC right now would seem like winning the champions league to most of us.

 

Using the youth system will always be a source of revenue to the club as it is at Ajax but if each year we can bring through 3 kids and sell 1 then we will be making more progress in the youth system than anyone else and become stronger for it.

 

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'd be delighted if it worked but at the moment, as you say we are light-years behind the likes of Ajax (and Arsenal for that matter). Another obstacle is the one hour travel rule. So we can't sign up under 15's from west of Dorchester, north of Oxford or East of Worthing, but I suppose that also helps us in some ways.

[saintjay77]

it worked in a different country and at a time when the game was entirely different' date=' as many posters on here keep telling me when i harp on about the saints from 78 to 86[/quote']

 

but the game changes year on year and in every country.

 

I still have no idea if it will work with us although I hope it will as on paper it seems like its the answer to all our prayers while there is no takeover on the horizon. But only time will tell so its still to early to right it off.

[saintjay77]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'd be delighted if it worked but at the moment, as you say we are light-years behind the likes of Ajax (and Arsenal for that matter). Another obstacle is the one hour travel rule. So we can't sign up under 15's from west of Dorchester, north of Oxford or East of Worthing, but I suppose that also helps us in some ways.

 

But thats where making us 2nd to none in terms of the quality and opertunities we can offer the youth of the future comes in. Say you have a 10 year old that is being scouted by some of the big clubs from all over the place, you want them to have the best oppertunities but your options within an hour of you are the teams that have rubbish acadamys or the top prem teams that only have a youth system to fulfil the league guidlines. So your looking around for a club that can turn a talented kid into the next lampard or rooney. With this in mind do you stick where you are or make changes so that your in the catchment area of the club that can provide the best?

 

That situation would only come about should we prove we are the team to bring kids too and our policy pays off, again we are miles away from that now but I think it is where the club wants to be some times in the future. And I dont expect familys with 10 year olds to be uprooting all over the place on a hunch that there kid will be something special. I have a 10 year old daughter who I think will make a pretty decent winger and have thought a few times that if she were a lad it would be worth us living back near southampton in order to get the best chances. And that is just based on the youth system we have had in the past and nothing to do with the next level they are trying to take the youth system.