Season 2012-13 
Everton News
Everton Academy granted elite status
Everton FC's Academy has been given license to operate an elite tier Category One academy for the next three years as part of the Premier League's new youth development system.
The Club's Academy underwent a stringent independent audit and the training facilities, productivity and coaching, education and welfare provisions at Finch Farm were all accredited with the top grading.
The Elite Player Performance Plan is a long-term strategy designed to take Premier League youth development to the next level, increase the number and quality of home grown players and improve coaching provision.
Everton Academy Manager, Alan Irvine, responded to the news by saying: “When we try to attract players to the Club, we are delighted to be able to say that we have Category One status. We are one of the leading academies in the country and on top of that there is a pathway to the first team.
"That is a very important selling point for us because everyone can see the opportunities that talented young players are given here.
“Over the years we have had a lot of young players come through and been given a chance and that is not always the case at the big Premier League clubs. We wouldn't like that to be undermined by the fact that we weren't Category One.
“There's no doubt that this is about what you are able to do to help the players make the progression into the first team. There is certainly no reason why players can't break through in other categories of academy, but we want our players playing against the best. We want to have increased access to players. We want to have the freedom to recruit nationally if we choose to do so. So being a Category One academy is essential.”
More at evertonfc.com
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Lets have a bit more than a Jack Rodwell in the next 10 years. I like Mourinho's attitude giving the coach of Castilla (Real Madrid's reserves) a bollocking for not producing first teamers.
Can't beat a bit of accountability.
Look on the streets at how much footy gets played after school and at the weekend compared to years ago.
For kids that do play for teams, look at the size of the pitch that they play on, the level of coaching, skills that we demand, and tactics employed.
Compare and contrast the facilities and coaching of the developed world, and the hunger of kids from the developing world, with our kids. Look at England U21s — how many would you really want (excluding Sterling)?
The whole media saying Moyes is great at blooding young players are a freaking joke. Moyes needs to get a grip and start playing our best young players over decent period of time, not just 5 mins now and then as subs.
Agreeing with most of the sentiments in terms of mirroring overseas sides... Spain surely has to be the model now for all English sides looking to harness local talent. The Spanish 'cantera' system picks up kids from 6 years old and takes them through to age 19+ playing a continuous unbroken style of football starting with futsal.
Teaching kids to be comfortable on the ball from day 1 has to be the cornerstone of any future development... and this is blatantly lacking across the land.
You only have to look at the likes of Swansea to see how the likes of Michu etc (who in Spain is seen as no more than average) shines above our supposed big shots.
There would be no harm in adapting our Centre of Excellence to the Spanish model and employing a range of continental coaches to enforce the ethos.
Give it 10 years and we'd be producing seriously talented youngsters... and still selling them to City...
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588 Posted 04/12/2012 at 19:35:55
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