Breaking News Allegations of a Top Departure

[Beefy]

But are the little clubs going to suffer? I'm not convinced. EPPP will result in more players being trained for longer at venues with better facilities. Not all of those players will will make it at the top level so in theory will have to drop down to the lower leagues. Right now 95%+ of the Southend players I've seen have come through the youth teams of other clubs. That won't change, but hopefully the players will be trained to a higher standard. All EPPP does is take the costs of youth development out of the hands of those clubs who either chose not to invest massively in this part of football or who cannot afford to be a Tier I or Tier II Accademy.

The few players we do produce may well be lost to us before they make the first team. Exactly as happens today. We may lose them for a small upfront fee. Exactly as happens today. The difference will be that EPPP guarantees that if the players goes on to be even a moderate success the smaller club that he came from will benefit financially.

Any policy which encourages vast amounts of money to be invested in youth development has to be good for the game as a whole. It's a shame that the top clubs had to force lower league sides into line but then turkeys wouldn't vote for Christmas.

Give it 15 years and I'm convinced that EPPP will be seen as being a major turning point in youth development in this country and both Southend United and England will benefit from that.

 

[EastStandBlue]

But are the little clubs going to suffer? I'm not convinced. EPPP will result in more players being trained for longer at venues with better facilities. Not all of those players will will make it at the top level so in theory will have to drop down to the lower leagues. Right now 95%+ of the Southend players I've seen have come through the youth teams of other clubs. That won't change, but hopefully the players will be trained to a higher standard. All EPPP does is take the costs of youth development out of the hands of those clubs who either chose not to invest massively in this part of football or who cannot afford to be a Tier I or Tier II Accademy.

The few players we do produce may well be lost to us before they make the first team. Exactly as happens today. We may lose them for a small upfront fee. Exactly as happens today. The difference will be that EPPP guarantees that if the players goes on to be even a moderate success the smaller club that he came from will benefit financially.

Any policy which encourages vast amounts of money to be invested in youth development has to be good for the game as a whole. It's a shame that the top clubs had to force lower league sides into line but then turkeys wouldn't vote for Christmas.

Give it 15 years and I'm convinced that EPPP will be seen as being a major turning point in youth development in this country and both Southend United and England will benefit from that.

I agree to a certain extent, but I do think instead of merely blackmailing clubs into accepting the changes, the Premier League could've negotiated the plans. Any initiative that causes clubs to close or scale down their youth development schemes should be seen as detrimental, and that's exactly what has happened - particularly in the west country. The removal of the 90-minute rule has allowed clubs to all but pillage that area of the country for talented youngsters.

I also think more thought needed to have been given to how youngsters in Category three and four clubs progress towards senior football. There's obviously a substantial difference between U18 and senior football, so the removal of reserve leagues and barring Cat 3/4 clubs from even considering entering an U21 team removes that method of progression. The loan scheme might offer an avenue for some, but it's hardly a reliable alternative to regular games in reserve leagues.

All in all, I guess it depends on how seriously your club took youth development. I'd imagine that fans of Crewe, despite finding themselves in Category Two, are fairly upset that their hard work risks being devalued and clubs like ours, who've shown signs of progression and forward-thinking without attaining Category Two, could just jack it all in.

 

[Mick]

They weren't allegations, it was proven. The Premier League's opinion was that they were no longer prepared to continue with the percentage of solidarity payment earmarked for youth development if it was to continue in its current mode, so Football League clubs were forced to either accept EPPP or have this funding withdrawn.

It was outright blackmail and there were plenty of (but not enough) clubs up for the fight.


edit:
Replied to your first post before reading your second. I think we agree, largely.