Leeds United Academy ranked second-highest in the country

[SiMamu]

http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article ... ing-review

UNITED ACADEMY RECEIVES GLOWING REVIEW
Leeds United Academy ranked second-highest in the country for productivity
A recent review of Academy productivity at football clubs has ranked Leeds United as the second highest in the country. It’s a legacy, says Head of Academy Paul Hart, which the club is "determined to build on".

The nation-wide review, which gathered data from all 92 clubs in England’s top four divisions, showed that just one club (which wasn’t named as club’s only receive their own figures) has managed to better United’s productivity levels with young players since the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) at the start of the 2012/13 season.

There has been no shortage of recent examples, with seven Thorp Arch graduates – Charlie Taylor, Lewis Cook, Sam Byram, Alex Mowatt, Kalvin Phillips, Lewie Coyle and Bailey Peacock-Farrell - all involved in the matchday squad for January's Sky Bet Championship trip to Ipswich Town.

Coyle is the latest to have made his first-team breakthrough, joining a list of homegrown talent at United, including the likes of Cook, Taylor and Mowatt, that is regarded as some of the finest in the country.

The review also takes into account those who have left the club and gone on to play regular first-team football elsewhere. In United’s case, many of those are now Premier League players and fully-capped internationals.

“It shows that we continue to produce young players and we’re determined to build on that legacy,” Hart said.

“If you took a 10-year view it would still definitely stand up. If you took a 20-year view it would be massive.

“If you took a 60-year view, right back to the days of Lorimer, Gray, Hunter, Cooper, Madeley, Reaney and all those great players – the club’s Academy system would still be at the top.

“It continues to be a huge part of this football club and it really is something to be proud of.

“What separates the Leeds United Academy from many of our rivals is that we actually put people in the first team.

“The review also takes into account people who have left the club to play in the first team for other clubs.

“It shows that we continue to produce players that are mentally tough enough to play at a senior level and players that have the talent.”

[Deleted User 728]

[phil62]

You won't win anything with kids...?

Hope you're wrong there Rigger!

[SG90]

Who's number one, Southampton?

We might give them a chance, but no way do we have the second best academy in the country, we're midtable in second tier in both u21 and u18.

[isrodger]

I was just debating that the other week us and Southampton must be miles ahead based on say internationals that have been spawned from our collective pools.

[Deleted User 728]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's Man U.

The number of players they farm out on loan who end up having decent careers in lower league is quite high.
Similarly Chelsea, if the numbers include foreign kids who play in the academy for a few years.

[SiMamu]

Who's number one, Southampton?

We might give them a chance, but no way do we have the second best academy in the country, we're midtable in second tier in both u21 and u18.

It's based on productivity, not on placing in youth leagues - which is understandable as how many make it into the first team is a more important factor in judging youth teams than their placing in youth leagues. Results and placing in the table aren't important when judging youth teams, the matches are about developing players' abilities, rather than about winning. I don't know if this is the case at other clubs, but at Arsenal players will be told to continuously do things to work on that side of their game - like telling goalkeepers to come for every ball in their box in a game, regardless of whether it's the right decision. So results aren't really that important, if players are being told to do things which could be detrimental to the result - something that they obviously wouldn't be told to do in first team games, where the stakes of losing are higher.

[saintjimmy]

Should a certain Mr Wilkinson take a little credit too I wonder ?

Well done all involved .

[johnh]

I think no.1 is Everton.