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.

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 Premiership 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 furthur 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.