A few days ago SI looked at the England under 21 side and how many play in Premier League first teams...the question SI asks today is - Are the millions in the Premier League helping English football?
As an example we will use Chelsea who are of course have been one of the most successful Premier League clubs over the past decade. But how many young players have gone through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and gone on to be a first team regular in that time?
On Thursday 13th December 2007 Chelsea's youth team travelled a short distance North to face Stevenage in the FA Youth Cup. Four years later you'd like to think at least one of that team had made the break-through into regular first team action in West London. The below shows the team and where are they now??
1st TEAM APS WHERE ARE THEY NOW??
1. Rhys Taylor 0 (0) Still with Chelsea.
Currently loaned to Rotherham United.
2. Jacob Mellis 0 (1) Still with Chelsea. Has been on loan at Southampton and Barnsley
3. Jeffrey Bruma 3 (7) Still with Chelsea.
Currently on loan at German side Hamburger SV
4. Patrick Van Aanholt 3 (5) Still with Chelsea. Has been on loan at several clubs.
Is currently at Vitesse Arnhem
5. Benjamin Gordon* 0 (0) Still with Chelsea. On loan at Kilmarnock.
6. Michael Woods* 0 (0) Left Chelsea in 2011. Currently unattached after trial with Walsall
7. Frank Nouble* 0 (0) Transferred to West Ham United in 2009.
Recently turned down a move to Crawley Town.
8. Lee Sawyer* 0 (0) Loaned out to a number of clubs. Left the club in 2009.
Currenly with League Two Southend United
9. Sergio Tejera 0 (0) Left Chelsea in 2009. Currently with Spanish side RCD Mallorca
10.Gael Kakuta 5 (11) Still with Chelsea. Currently on loan to French club Dijon.
11.Miroslav Stoch 0 (5) Transferred to Fenerbahce after loan with FC Twente
12.Thomas Taiwo* 0 (0) Left Chelsea in 2010.
Currently playing at League One Carlise United
13.Nikki Ahamed 0 (0) Sri Lankan born full back/midfielder.
Left Stamford Bridge in 2010.
Played a few games for Ryman League Wealdstone this season.
14.Niclas Heimann 0 (0) German goalkeeper. Left Chelsea in 2010.
Currently with Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg.
15.Adam Phillip* 0 (0) Still with Chelsea. Had a loan spell with Yeovil Town.
Out injured for the 2011/12 season
16.Jack Saville* 0 (0) Moved to Southampton in 2009.
Since loaned to Stockport County, Hayes and Yeading and Barnet
* denotes English qualified player
bold denotes still with the club
So, out of the 16 players who featured in the squad, none of them have firmly established themselves as a first team player at Chelsea. SI doesn't want to be accused of Chelsea bashing as we are a neutral football website so the above is an example of just how hard it is to break into first team football in the English Premier League. I'm sure if you looked at other Premier League sides it would be the same story. A total of seven players are still with the club of which six are currently on loan and one unfortunately injured for the season.
SI asks has it got and is it getting increasingly harder for young English/British professionals to make the grade at the top end with the influx of the millions of pounds and foreign imported players into English game??
It always has been a tough call for youth players to make it as a full time professional with the above indicating it's becoming more and more of a challenge as the years go by. Some clubs seem to be happy opting for the finished article to keep them safe in the Premier League rather than persevere and produce the next English international star.
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