Originally Posted by
pineapple stu
I think a part of it is the lack of a fully-pro environment at home for players to move into at that age. Half the current U21 squad are LoI-based - there's very limited options for full-time positions in the LoI, and the structure of LoI clubs by and large isn't going to be as professional as at other clubs. There's a similar disparity in the UEFA Youth League, where our clubs do ok at U19 level, but compare Molde and UCD as clubs and see where the respective players in our 2017 tie have done since. It's not just Haaland who's done well on that Molde team, whereas Farrugia is probably the highest-profile UCD player, and he's at Rovers.
I'd say pro academies for 19s up would make a big difference, but the money isn't there.
If that is the case, then Brexit will mean it'll become a big deal fairly soon. Which would be a positive as it would force us to address it - sink or swim, effectively.
Bookmarks