07 Jul 2014 10:53:25
Just heard from an academy coach at HTAFC that they hear on the grapevine that LUFC are closing their academy all together and intend to run a B team instead. Its the continental way and Watford did the same last year. They are tracking several of our academy players and will try and pick them up if they do.

Whilst it feels we are being downsized substantially and their may be a long term affect in new talent coming through. Personally I think it might be time to try something new we very rarely get to see academy players coming through and they are usually off the books and elsewhere by the time we know about them. So if it reduces overheads and is in line with financial fair play I think ultimately surely should encourage more investors.

What does everyone else think?

1.) 07 Jul 2014
If this is true (and its a big IF), I think it's shameful, short sighted and wil ultimately cost LUFC money in the long term.

2.) 07 Jul 2014
Before we all start jumping on a doom and gloom band wagon.

1/ TA is open for the coming season
2/ how many academy players do we actually see in the first team?
3/ how many do we sell on for profit
4/ from the above we could then see its actual worth not as an academy but as a business.

3.) 07 Jul 2014
07 Jul 2014 14:00:08
What a load of BS!
We had 7 academy graduates in the squad for the last game of last season. Our Academy brings through as many as anywhere - just look at Lennon, Milner (currently prem), Byram, Mowatt, Lees, Poleon, Dawson (Championship). Go back to Woodgate & Co - need I say more. Its been the most successful part of LUFC for the last decade.

4.) 07 Jul 2014
As already been said IF it happens it's wrong. The identity of our club has to be kept. We're a uk club but unique in some ways and changes need to be made but MC is trying to turn us into Calglari 2nd. Some things just won't work over here & as much as he's done a lot of good here he can't just walk all over our British identity because he owns us. Were Leeds, we're Yorkshire & I for one want our local youths coming to us. They will be discouraged & end up at Donny, Udders, Sheff etc. We all know Academies can be real success stories if run correctly & that means getting them young & encouraging right through the age groups starting with all the local schools.
MCs idea is picking up youth players dropped by other academy's or from Italy. In my opinion
I want change but am not willing to sell the soul & fabric of this great club for some italian prototype which if it fails will set us back years

5.) 07 Jul 2014
Isn't there a "Donation" of half a million from FL to these "Achademies". If so, then that's gone with closure.

6.) 07 Jul 2014
When is the last time that any real promising player stayed with the club?
I do think bring talent through is important but can we afford it, or should resources be spent on the first team .
For years we have signed released club less players rather than up and coming talent, which is why we are where we are .
The team needed a clear out, and it's to soon to judge on the current squad as there are still changes to come .

7.) 07 Jul 2014
Well my lad was offered a trail for the academy last Friday, Don't think they would still be scouting kids if this was the case.

MOT

8.) 07 Jul 2014
I got told we get £4.5mil a yr for running thorp arch is this true?

9.) 07 Jul 2014
Dawson, Poleon, Mowatt and Lees aren't championship standard hence why we finished 15th.

10.) 07 Jul 2014
The academy has brought in millions in junior player movement in the past few years. Taewo and Woods netted Leeds £5m compensation from Chelsea in 2006. Up to £1.5m for Luke Garbutt 2009. Others have gone to Man City (Leeds refuse to play them at youth level because of poaching activity), Real Madrid and plenty of other Premiership clubs and all will have attracted compensation. Two of this season's U15s have been called up for England along with another of our ex U15s who is now at Man City.

The original poster is probably correct, although I have not heard this directly. A lot of the coaching staff that had junior squads lined up for next season have been released, so I am not sure who is coaching the junior squads next season.

I have been told that MC wants the youth system to run on the same budget as Cagliari (€30K I was told?). That will cover about 8 part-time coaches? Each squad (u9 to u15) needs 2 coaches so that leaves us short by 6 coaches ignoring the goalkeeping coaches, and academy management and admin people and the kit etc. So the future for junior football doesn't look great.

Leeds United have all academy players under contract for next season, and some older ones for up to 3 seasons, so I do not believe that they will close next year as it would risk compensation claims from the players who are entitled to training as part of the contract. But all the noises I am hearing suggest that MC wants to go the same way as Watford. Sad thing is that Leeds have the best squads this side of the Pennines and in some age groups, arguably best in the country. Those players will leave with no compensation paid if the first poster is accurate.

11.) 07 Jul 2014
07 Jul 2014 15:45:03
MC had a reputation of developing youth players, getting them in the first team and selling on for big profit. So I'm asking how will we do this without a youth academy? A B team set up won't work here if they can't okay competitive reserve league fixtures

12.) 07 Jul 2014
Which league will this B team play in? Bit fanciful old mate. Nice try though.

13.) 07 Jul 2014
07 Jul 2014 15:56:01
As far as I know and have heard from everything cellino has sais is that he will be focusing on youth and Leeds producing a lot more of the talent than they have for the past 5 years at least . with that said i'm not sure how that goes in hand with scaling back youth teams etc . I would of thought it be the opposite if anything

14.) 07 Jul 2014
Who eva is spreading such utter rubbish and scare mongering unfounded totally imagined bull. Have a think what MC said a month ago about how he is going to turn Leeds profitable business and a major part in his business plan is selling some of the youth players. I don't have the exact words he said but he said he would not spend money on old player and high wages when we will trade intelligently were we get one or two players that have experience then fill the team with our younger youth players and sell one or two of them for money that Leeds values them at not selling for low anou gs cause we don't need to sell players to operate. MC last club was built on young talent that they developed and inturn they sold a few for profit. This is how caligari was a viable business. MC is a business man and he knows how and what makes money. I think the grapevine mis understood the facts that MC is planning on leaving Thorpe arch and bringing the Academy closer to the Team at Ellend Road. All the main team player and the Academy closer under one roof which lines u to what Hockaday was saying in that LUFC will be smaller, leaner but much more of a close unit. This gives the mentality of all for one and one for all creates a great team bond. This makes much more sense than MC getting rid of the Academy, he also know Leeds needs to actract young fans and also still keep us as a professional club that every big club has. MC stripping Leeds of all the non nessersery parts that was costing Leeds money and throwing good money after bad, then we keep the parts we need to operate as a professional club were MC knows Image is everything. This cleaning of Leeds United has been well over due and was required. Doing this is hard work, its not easy and takes hard decisions that requires balls of steel. All past ow ers did not have the will nor balls to go through this process that will be u popular and putting yourself in the firing line. This proves MC here to stay and he ain't going any time soon. He is working and we should all respect the guy.

15.) 07 Jul 2014
I think what you will find is MC will move the academy closer to ER, he wants to develop youth so it would totally against his wishes if you believe the post.
Bit like when the players were told to bring sandwiches the week before they went to Italy. Yes it was true ONLY because TA was closed and re-opened when they were away.
People put 2+2 together and!!

16.) 07 Jul 2014
Who eva is spreading such utter rubbish and scare mongering unfounded totally imagined bull. Have a think what MC said a month ago about how he is going to turn Leeds profitable business and a major part in his business plan is selling some of the youth players. I don't have the exact words he said but he said he would not spend money on old player and high wages when we will trade intelligently were we get one or two players that have experience then fill the team with our younger youth players and sell one or two of them for money that Leeds values them at not selling for low anou gs cause we don't need to sell players to operate. MC last club was built on young talent that they developed and inturn they sold a few for profit. This is how caligari was a viable business. MC is a business man and he knows how and what makes money. I think the grapevine mis understood the facts that MC is planning on leaving Thorpe arch and bringing the Academy closer to the Team at Ellend Road. All the main team player and the Academy closer under one roof which lines u to what Hockaday was saying in that LUFC will be smaller, leaner but much more of a close unit. This gives the mentality of all for one and one for all creates a great team bond. This makes much more sense than MC getting rid of the Academy, he also know Leeds needs to actract young fans and also still keep us as a professional club that every big club has. MC stripping Leeds of all the non nessersery parts that was costing Leeds money and throwing good money after bad, then we keep the parts we need to operate as a professional club were MC knows Image is everything. This cleaning of Leeds United has been well over due and was required. Doing this is hard work, its not easy and takes hard decisions that requires balls of steel. All past ow ers did not have the will nor balls to go through this process that will be u popular and putting yourself in the firing line. This proves MC here to stay and he ain't going any time soon. He is working and we should all respect the guy.

17.) 07 Jul 2014
I think what you will find is MC will move the academy closer to ER, he wants to develop youth so it would totally against his wishes if you believe the post.
Bit like when the players were told to bring sandwiches the week before they went to Italy. Yes it was true ONLY because TA was closed and re-opened when they were away.
People put 2+2 together and!!

18.) 07 Jul 2014
07 Jul 2014 22:48:24
Would never happen. England's academies are a major part of the money in the game, the amount of promotion and money generated through not only selling youth players, but through sponsorships for junior kits etc etc is way too much to get rid of.

19.) 08 Jul 2014
I can assure its not something I necessarily agree with but anyone thinking this can't happen need to look at what happened at Watford who no doubt had a good academy etc. I aren't advocating this either but anyone saying its scaremongering or BS needs to get their heads out their Arse and realise we have to be financially viable. We are no longer being run by a democratic board but its the whim of someone who knows what worked for him in Italy. There are a few possible indicators that concerned me>>>> Why would we close TA that's never happened before. The catering staff have been let go as the poster realitycheck says several high profile coaching staff have gone. It seems that there is more downsizing to come. Plus the move away from TA doesn't mean it would necessarily be another academy. I am a long time ST holder in N.East corner South Stand, West stand and the old Paddock b and for the last few years been in F24 captains lounge. This season I am continuing to support LUFC and proud to be bringing fresh support to ER and transferred to the Family stand with my youngest son. So I aren't some nobber from Hudders**** posting to create chaos. I hope all the posters saying this can't and won't happen are right and to counter balance the above my pal is a scout at ER and he doesn't think it will happen! If I hear anymore on this I will stick it on! Cheers Grimesey MOT

20.) 08 Jul 2014
Who the **** would wan't to goto the dog botherers! They only got that scouse bloke because leeds paid up the whingers contract, Forest and Bolton pulled out of a deal because of his ridiculous wage demands! B team see Development team seems the FA are keen on this model too!

21.) 08 Jul 2014
What we know is this Gfh running the club posted a loss over 9mil, bates running the club every decent player always sold .
Is this the only way to balance the books, or like we all think Bates was milking the club?
At least M C looks like he may bring in young reasonable player's who all should develop rather than has-been's