Inside Everton’s Academy: ‘We’re building something very, very special’

Everton on Thelwell's watch – with buy-in from the first-team coaching staff – are committed to providing first-team chances for academy prospects.

Recruitment for the senior team over the last four transfer windows has also been heavily influenced by what is coming through the ranks. The club do not want to “block the pipeline” by spending money in areas where outstanding prospects like Harrison Armstrong or Roman Dixon could provide a long-term solution.

“I'd be daft to spend millions on a player when we've got one who might come through. I'd much rather give him the opportunity than spend that money and luckily we've got first-team coaches who feel the same.”

Be great if it was true — I really like Roman Dixon… but then I liked Niels Nkounkou and he was given short shrift. But clearly a few on here may have to abandon their almost daily request that we sign a hiqh quality (ie, expensive) new right-back!

I would imagine they would want to completely redo Everton from top-to-bottom ie board, manager, DoF, back room staff etc…

If it’s broke, fix it.

Hopefully Thelwell is restructuring the development aspect of the club, although this may take years.

As Michael highlights from Thelwell's comments, why spend millions when you might have something coming through or can pick up a bargain like Branthwaite?

We've tried splashing the cash. Now is not the time. Steady and sensible building. It won't happen overnight, but we've played the Las Vegas card and it didn't work, let alone nearly ruin us.

We produce about 1 player every few seasons, we lose points while they learn their craft, then, when they start to excel, watch as they get their head turned by the Sky 6 and see them disappear into the sunset.

The others are kept on, until near pensionable age, out on loan, until they are either released or given a free transfer to a lower-league team.

This guy is the Academy Director since his appointment 2½ years ago.

His previous post was General Manager of Professional Game Academy Audit Company – the firm that oversees the auditing process of academies in the Premier League and EFL – so he might just know a thing or two about running a good academy.

One of the things he wants to do is return to the full-time training model that the club moved away from a couple of years ago. Their current hybrid model means less training time and, as a result, they are not permitted to recruit nationally from the age of 14 like Premier League rivals who run full-time programmes.

Read that a couple of times and try to understand the implications... which seem astounding to me. Perhaps Tony can explain but why would anyone with half a brain want them to spend less time training!!! — Especially when it seems the consequence is that you cannot recruit nationally players over 14, like other full-time Premier League academies can!!!

WHAT?!?! That sounds like utter madness to me. Talk about tying your own arms behind your back!

You still have to find youngsters that have that rare natural ability to become a regular Premier League player.

Having those youngsters is partly down to the luck of a local kid having that ability such as Rooney and importantly somebody to scout kids from further afield.

You can coach till the cows come home but, if that physical talent is missing, you are going to fail to produce special players.

Part-time Training Model

On the PTTM your child attends the Academy in the evenings, at weekends and during holidays. The Academy will keep in regular contact with the school and provide reports to them about their progress. The Club will monitor your child's progress to ensure the football programme is not having a negative effect on their progress at school.

Hybrid Training Model

On the HTM your child is released from school to attend the Academy for part of their weekly timetable. This model can be used in the Youth Development Phase and it will depend on your child's age and your child's Club programme if it is available to them.

Full Time Training Model

This model can only be used in the Youth Development Phase Category One Academies that operates a FTTM. To attend the FTTM your child will need to reside within the one and a half hour travel restrictions as outlined in the Youth Development Rules. Under 14 players can be recruited onto the programme from around the country.

Just a shot in the dark here but has the dreaded money got anything to do with it? I must be honest and say that I haven't got a clue about these Academy structures, and I suspect that most fans are in the same boat, but most things these days revolve around money which we have been short of for some considerable time now.

So far, the costs of the various Academy models hasn't been spoken about but I bet that the Full Time model costs considerably more than the other two. Is this a reasonable conclusion and, if so, is that the reason why we went the way we did?

Have the costs of the models been costed and if so, a cost/benefit analysis concluded that it was so and decided that to go Full Time couldn't be justified at that time?

Even though, as I mentioned before, Academy expenditure is excluded from the PSR calculation of losses, if the money simply isn't there…

And just count the references to limited resources and lack of finances cited in this article. I think you can conclude it's been a major factor holding back the development and performance of the Academy.

Bit of a naughty question but do you think that TFG might take a different view based on their calculations of expected income and expenditure for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock?

If you mean use some of the increased stadium revenue to provide better funding for the academy? That has to be the way forward, yes.

I won't include Virginia as didn't we get him from Arsenal and we regularly have two keepers on the bench. They may not be ready for the 1st team but it hardly seems very encouraging or likely to see us not spending millions in transfer fees.

I'm not saying we should be playing youngsters regardless, I just doubt that there is any savings being realized recently unless you include fees picked up for Simms, Cannon and Robinson.

I really like Thelwell. I think he has made excellent sales and some very sensible buys with virtually no resources. And I do believe youngsters like Dixon and Armstrong who are considered good enough for the bench will get their chances on the pitch, although they may have to wait until every point isn't precious.

Colin #2, I would be astonished if the new owners completely clean out the organization top to bottom. That almost never happens in a corporate takeover, be it footy or more conventional business. The acquirer will always look through the structure for high performers and try to keep them on. And a total makeover in the midst of a possible relegation fight seems suicidal to me.

Besides, somebody has to know where the keys are kept!

Yes he had slipped by me so I'll call him the exception that proves the rule.

Or that, while all departments need looking at, all are part of the whole.

Pure lip service imo, but hopefully I'm wrong and a lot of good things are being put in place behind the scenes.