Lower League Academies

Folev the red

Just looking at the England starting line-up and i see:

Bent - Ipswich
Young - Watford
Parker - Charlton
Barry- Brighton
Walcott - Southampton
Terry - West Ham
Hart - Shrewsbury

Even 3 of the other 4 come from youth sides that aren't at the top of the premier league:
Cahill - Villa
Rooney - Everton
Jones - Blackburn

Infact, Ashley Cole is the only player to have come through the ranks of a 'big' club in England. Now compare this to Spain, and you'll see that nearly all the starting XI come from Real Madrid or Barca.

So, this poses a spur of the moment question. Are the countrys top sides doing enough to bring through young English talent? Or is it simply a credit to the callibre of scouting in the lower levels of English football?

BlackForestReds

I've not checked this, but I thought John Terry came through the Chelsea reserves?

BlackForestReds

So, this poses a spur of the moment question. Are the countrys top sides doing enough to bring through young English talent? Or is it simply a credit to the callibre of scouting in the lower levels of English football?
............

Or perhaps lower down the leagues players get a chance to get a few seasons of playing under their belts to learn their stuff before they get sold on to the bigger clubs?

Folev the red

I've not checked this, but I thought John Terry came through the Chelsea reserves?

I think he did, but only after chelsea took him from west ham.

Redrobo

What, like WHU took Defoe from us?

CAFCdamo

Terry joined Chelsea at 14

Man_About_Town

Terry was at West Ham until around 14.

The bigger Clubs get the pick of the best young players anyway