We are all talking about the performances of Davies, Holgate, Lookman and in my opinion, it is this very reason why I started this thread.
We have seen the stats; within the PL we have the leading number of teenage appearances, leading number of british teenagers, leading number of teenage scorers...something to be very proud of.
The gateway and path to the first team has ALWAYS been one of our fundamental principles of this football club. It should always be a priority and a mainstay of any regime.
Our club is changing; we have ambition, cash and a desire to get up the ladder quick. With this does bring short termism. I stand by my comments when I opened this thread. It will be extremely easy for the club to go for proven, expensive individuals and fill the squad with average players. The fans are desperate to get higher and will use the money as an excuse as to why we should go out and buy Depay etc.
Our academy has recently appointed a new figurehead; our football operations has too.
But I know, we all know, as a club, we are the BEST at providing young players with a gateway to the first team and an opportunity to make a career out of football, ideally with us. We wont produce a Rooney every year but we produce talented, well grounded, polite young men who pretty much know if they work hard, have talent they will get the opportunity.
Bringing through the youth and providing them with a route into the first team is as important in my eyes as going and getting the proven, top class players. Whilst its great to sign Schneiderlin and I am delighted with the purchase, deep down we know that giving Davies the platform to show his talent as he has been able to recently, is as equally important.
Who will all the kids at school today be wanting to be like in the playground? The local lad who has come from the same streets as them and shown them that hard work, talent and desire will give you an opportunity at the club which is at the forefront of the community.