Quote ="theredshed"I think the academy system works much better for clubs where they have a much stronger junior club base. We have to be realistic, how many local lads from Salford have gone on to be Internationals in the past 50 years? 4 or 5. Most of the one's that did weren't even interested in playing for Salford like Betts, Morley and Watkins. We simply don't produce enough because we aren't a first choice option for 99% of the best kids from Wigan, Warrington, Widnes, St Helens and Yorkshire etc.
The problem is if the club invest and produce the odd decent kid they're off the minute a Warrington, Saints or Hull come knocking. For the cost of running a severely handicapped and failing academy you could have 3 more top quality players in your squad.'"
I admire your positive spin, however if we have aspirations of wanting to be a super league club surely a condition should be to develop the infrastructure including the reintroduction of an A team not just the academy system.
There is a reason our game has been devalued & lost its way, it is all about importing a quick fix from Australia at the expense of local talent. If more clubs adopt this approach the game long term would continue the decline.
Developing the game at under 19s or academy is not just about measuring the success of a player making the grade although I understand the goal, it is also about developing the game & interest locally because without this infrastructure the club as no future.
