Loan Watch 2012-2013

[melonhead]

[Friday's Legacy]

We look like we're in a good place with youngsters for the next few years. Obita, D'Ath, Hector, Taylor and, a little further down the line, Ugwu.

Then we have 2 good young keepers who could play now, and some academy products in the team. Our academy is producing the goods it seems.

Only concern is, will getting promoted scupper their progression?

it wont scupper their progression, no. it may scupper their chances here however.

also with the academy soon to become cat a status, the players we develop and bring through will only get better.

[Petercccccc]

Does anyone know which/how many clubs in the premierleague and championship will apply for a cat a status?

[Friday's Legacy]

Does anyone know which/how many clubs in the premierleague and championship will apply for a cat a status?

all i can find at the moment is that upgrading the youth academy to category a status requires annual funds in the region of £2.5 million. with that in mind i don't think you'll find anyone else in the football league with their academy's at that level.

indeed i believe i have read that only a handful of premier league clubs also have category a status, such is the cost of having such a luxury. to quote chris samuelson - "that would provide new facilities and more intensive training methods – a luxury not many clubs can afford."

[ZacNaloen]

More importantly, not many clubs prioritise youth development. The progression isn't quick enough for their ego.

[Petercccccc]

That sounds promising then for us.Wonder if we have plans to build our own 'la masia' obviously not to the extent of Barcelona's.

[Royal Rother]

I would far rather see £20m invested over a 5 year term into the Academy coaching and facilities than see 2 players bought for fees + wages of the equivalent amount.

[Ian Royal]

I think Dirk said they were expecting about 20, but it's all finger in the air stuff at the moment.

[exileinleeds]

I would far rather see £20m invested over a 5 year term into the Academy coaching and facilities than see 2 players bought for fees + wages of the equivalent amount.

Absolutely. That is proper investment- the players we develop for our own team will save millions in transfer and agents fees, the ones who don't make it into our team, will be a valuable source of extra revenue.

Anyone who buys a business as a going concern, has to look at how you are going to improve turnover/profitability...with a view that the profits will be re-invested for further growth. Similarly, investing in a stadium expansion will also give the potential for increased revenue. An extra 10,000 bums on seats would give us an extra income of more than £4m. When the fair play rules come into effect, an acadamy producing £5m worth of players a year, and £12m in gates income will I suspect give us funds to maintain a premiership team. Stoke (one of my least favourite teams) is not a bad example of where we might be.

[Victor Meldrew]

More importantly, not many clubs prioritise youth development. The progression isn't quick enough for their ego.

I think you will find that all clubs are keen to develop young players.
Many at the very top and bottom do so but for different reasons sell them on.

[Cobi]

More importantly, not many clubs prioritise youth development. The progression isn't quick enough for their ego.

I think you will find that all clubs are keen to develop young players.
Many at the very top and bottom do so but for different reasons sell them on.

Every club is keen I imagine, but not every club make youth development a priority as we are going to do.

A Championship club going Cat A is unheard of, in fact only a small % of top flight clubs are Cat A.

[ZacNaloen]

I was going to comment, being keen to develop young players and making developing young players are priority are not mutually exclusive.

[SCIAG]

More importantly, not many clubs prioritise youth development. The progression isn't quick enough for their ego.

I think you will find that all clubs are keen to develop young players.
Many at the very top and bottom do so but for different reasons sell them on.

Every club is keen I imagine, but not every club make youth development a priority as we are going to do.

A Championship club going Cat A is unheard of, in fact only a small % of top flight clubs are Cat A.

Three clubs are currently at the level of Category A, the two Manchester sides and Southampton (remember that they're owned by the estate of a man far richer than Anton). It's possible some others, most likely Chelsea, will have stepped up to that level by the time the categories come in, and I think Watford are aiming for Category A in the long term.

[Cobi]

Watford don't have two pennies to rub together. How can they possibly afford £2.5m a year to run a Cat A academy?

[Alan Partridge]

Diddy have been borrowing Dean Santangelo for most of the season, but now they've got another young keeper Jon Henly (formerly of the Eagles) has played the last couple of games and by all accounts has been impressive. Clean sheet Saturday and having seen Didcot a bit this season that is no mean feet with their back 4!

[andrew1957]

Yeovil fans seemed very impressed with D'Ath after Saturday. Will be interesting to see if he can keep scoring. Had one disallowed first game and scored plus an assist second game. Not a bad start.

[sandman]

Hector scores against O*ford.

[Friday's Legacy]

Hector scores against O*ford.

and the boy becomes a man. now for obita as well please. i can bare swindon getting promoted but not scummy oxford.

[SCIAG]

Watford don't have two pennies to rub together. How can they possibly afford £2.5m a year to run a Cat A academy?

A large part of their limited expenditure is on the academy as it is, and their facilities are close to being good enough anyway. I suspect the main barrier will be expanding the coaching staff to the required levels, which will be the easiest thing for us.

[Snowball]

Hector scores against O*ford.

and the boy becomes a man. now for obita as well please. i can bare swindon getting promoted but not scummy oxford.

Two goals now. Not bad