kirsikka
UTC Legend
We were all delighted at the news that we're now up to category 2, and some wondering if we might try and take that final step whilst the door is still open to new entrants. Hopefully this will continue the recent good work in bringing players through for the first team, whether that's those that join at a young age or the cast offs picked up at 16 or 18.
Thinking about Foley's vision, the academy should become an absolutely vital cog in the machine in more than one way. It isn't only about providing players to play for us but as an important revenue stream.
FFP in the PL has tightened up in recent years and has started to bite numerous clubs. We're current in our honeymoon period but it will become a limiting factor in a couple of season's time unless we are able to sell on a few players at a large profit.
This is where the academy can contribute. We aren't likely to be selling players for huge sums that have never played for us, like Man City. If a youngster is that good, they'll make our squad. However, look at how Man City have been using their academy. Any money invested there isn't counted towards your FFP calculations so if you can collect a group of young players and sell some of them on, it's pure profit that gives you extra wiggle room for your FFP calculations.
Last season Man City they sold academy players to Southampton for about £25m. Already this season they look set to raise another £15m with a sale to West Ham.
We are never going to be pulling in the shirt manufacturer deals, training ground sponsorships, far east noodle partnerships and so on that bring the biggest clubs extra hundreds of millions a year. We can certainly do better with our commercial revenue, and that seems to be a big focus, but we have to look at other ways to bring in the cash.
If we can get our academy producing a production line of yougnsters that we don't think willmake the grade with us but can be sold to Championship clubs that'll be invaluable for our FPP ticking time bomb.
You could say Man City's academy is an overnight success fifteen years in the making. If we invest now, it likely won't provide returns for a good number of years. However, seeing the investment that's already been made and looks to continue being made is encouraging for our future. Not only with graduations to our first team in mind.
And yes, I recognise it sounds a bit like farming players but I'm not sure it's in the Chelsea mould. If we're set on a small group and trying to help them progress it isn't in the same industrial farming area as having 64 players out on loan, and whole other groups at the club.
So, fingers crossed we've set our sights on Category 1.
Thinking about Foley's vision, the academy should become an absolutely vital cog in the machine in more than one way. It isn't only about providing players to play for us but as an important revenue stream.
FFP in the PL has tightened up in recent years and has started to bite numerous clubs. We're current in our honeymoon period but it will become a limiting factor in a couple of season's time unless we are able to sell on a few players at a large profit.
This is where the academy can contribute. We aren't likely to be selling players for huge sums that have never played for us, like Man City. If a youngster is that good, they'll make our squad. However, look at how Man City have been using their academy. Any money invested there isn't counted towards your FFP calculations so if you can collect a group of young players and sell some of them on, it's pure profit that gives you extra wiggle room for your FFP calculations.
Last season Man City they sold academy players to Southampton for about £25m. Already this season they look set to raise another £15m with a sale to West Ham.
We are never going to be pulling in the shirt manufacturer deals, training ground sponsorships, far east noodle partnerships and so on that bring the biggest clubs extra hundreds of millions a year. We can certainly do better with our commercial revenue, and that seems to be a big focus, but we have to look at other ways to bring in the cash.
If we can get our academy producing a production line of yougnsters that we don't think willmake the grade with us but can be sold to Championship clubs that'll be invaluable for our FPP ticking time bomb.
You could say Man City's academy is an overnight success fifteen years in the making. If we invest now, it likely won't provide returns for a good number of years. However, seeing the investment that's already been made and looks to continue being made is encouraging for our future. Not only with graduations to our first team in mind.
And yes, I recognise it sounds a bit like farming players but I'm not sure it's in the Chelsea mould. If we're set on a small group and trying to help them progress it isn't in the same industrial farming area as having 64 players out on loan, and whole other groups at the club.
So, fingers crossed we've set our sights on Category 1.