This really grinds my gears. EPPP has been a disaster; it has simply enabled the top clubs to hoover up talent for pennies with no intention of playing them, and then sell them on to boost their income for financial fair play.

The idea that going to a top club will magically improve a youngster is garbage. They will never be on the same training ground as the top players and will be effectively sacrificing first team football for playing academy football at a nicer facility.

Thats before you even get into the morality of offering minors and/or their parents financial inducements.

Matando is a classic case. Signed by Man City off us for nothing after (alleged) financial inducements, never played for them but made them a tidy £8 million when they sold him to Schalke. Now he's kicking his heels on Rangers bench. Can anyone seriously suggest going to play in a slightly nicer academy was better for his career than staying at city and playing first team football?