I think these players and there advisors are smart enough to realize there’s a much lower chance (if any) of a path to playing regularly for these big clubs, but on the other hand they will get a few years of some of the best coaching in the world, the pick of loan deals around Europe when they are ready and then probably find a landing spot at a team at least the size of Cardiff if it doesn’t pan out for them… plus getting paid an order of magnitude more than they can get here in the meantime.

It’s a no brainer for the players but a real kick in the gut for us and surely something has to give. Anyone know if this is part of what was being looked at in the scope of what the government was trying to push through? The FA surely have to see this as a massive risk if there’s no value for anyone outside of the top 10-15 in the Prem to run an academy.