The wider plan.

Granpa

Like I'm sure everybody on this site I give a lot of thought and attention to the CAFC things I see and read about. It seems to me that when the new owners were contemplating buying the Club, there was a lot of discussion over, not just the finances, but the vision for the future. That obviously included the sort of people that would be needed, and a plan which would take us back to the top, and the way in which it could be achieved.

This thought was sparked off this morning when the Mail stated that we were competing with Derby for a highly rated Mansfield Defender who I think was called Tony Naylor ( forgive me if I have got that wrong ). Add to that the arrival of Michael Smith, the remarks from Damian Matthew today on the CAFC website, the attention which is being paid to the development of our youngsters under probably the best person to direct that, Paul Hart, and it all makes sense.

That started me thinking that maybe Chris Powells vision which attracted the Directors so much, was perhaps a vision of growing your own team from the Academy. At the moment we have an excellent squad into which youngsters like Ruben Bover are being gradually introduced, and coming behind them the Powell Puppies ( a la Busby Babes ) for the future. Am I just a dreamer, or are we heading for exciting times ? 

Chirpy Red

My Mrs reckons I've been on the Wider Plan for years.......

PragueAddick

Good post Granpa, and I hope you are right. I've always thought that "growing your own" is the right policy. I believe that Peter Varney for one believes that too.

Looking at it from the financial angle it always added up to me. Younger home grown players are nearly always going to be cheaper on wages as well as not costing anything in transfer fees. Then of course, if necessary ( and the trick is to make it less and less necessary) you can sell them to keep the club finances afloat.

Equally important is that usually fans identify with and are far more patient with, home grown youngsters.

There are some difficulties. I have  heard that running an academy is expensive, even more so when you are lower down the league, relative to overall costs. What you refer to of course is not just 'academy' but more generally getting hold of under 20 players and helping them develop.Also, re  my previous point about fans identifying more with home grown players, for some perplexing reason,this didnt quite work in the case of JonJo Shelvey, whom I still believe will go on to be the most successful ever product of our youth set up. I will never forgive those muppets who gave him a hard time.

So if you are right, lets hope we, the fans, will be patient enough to allow these young players the chance to flourish.

Oggy Red

Thoughtful post, Granpops.

There certainly seems to be a big emphasis behind the scenes on acquiring young players as 'one for the future'. alongside our own youth players.

I wonder what others think?

BlackForestReds

The club is still running at a loss which is being borne by the directors, some of these young players are being trained up to be sold off at a profit to reduce the losses.

lancashire lad

Or it could be that some of our younger first teamers are being trained to be sold at a profit and then be replaced by the youngsters

Henry Irving

Or it could be that some of our younger first teamers are being trained to be sold at a profit and then be replaced by the youngsters

haven't got a problem with that.  We will always sell players so might as well have good players in the team that are attractive and worth money tthe plus a conveyor belt of good younger players coming through.

If it helps pay the bills along the way then so be it.

BlackForestReds

Or it could be that some of our younger first teamers are being trained to be sold at a profit and then be replaced by the youngsters

haven't got a problem with that.  We will always sell players so might as well have good players in the team that are attractive and worth money tthe plus a conveyor belt of good younger players coming through.

If it helps pay the bills along the way then so be it.

More to the point it'll help us keep the better and more valuable players.