Finishing School

[ratbert]

Good snippet here from the Guardian:

Daniel Sturridge expertly scored his third goal in as many games for Bolton, where he is on loan from Chelsea. Following Jack Wilshere's success at the Reebok last season while on loan from Arsenal, Bolton are rapidly developing a reputation as a finishing school par excellence for Britain's brightest talents. Both players, as it happens, started their journeys to prominence at small(ish) clubs, only to be snaffled in their youth by bigger names when their precocity became evident – Wilshere entered Luton's youth system only to be lured away by Arsenal at the age of nine, while Sturridge (having taken his first steps with Aston Villa) was taken from Coventry by Manchester City when he was 13.

Of course we'll never know what would have become of them had they not left those clubs. The coaching they have enjoyed since their departures may well have been of a higher standard, and the facilities almost certainly are. They may not have soared so high, so soon. But then again, they might have made their way to the top at a more sensible pace. Several smaller clubs might have made much-needed profits from transfer fees as the players progressed (though Coventry did make something from Sturridge in the end, a sell-on fee of around £350,000 when he joined Chelsea).

They may still have spent some time at Bolton, or a club very much like Bolton, before making their way to one of the Champions League-space-hogging behemoths. Is this model not better than the big clubs simply hoovering up all the best youngsters as early and as cheaply as possible and then spitting out the ones who fail to make the grade at a later date? Last season's top four between them have 49 players currently out on loan – according to soccerbase.com – the vast majority of whom will never earn a place in their host clubs' first XIs. Something, it strikes me, is not quite right.

"Bolton's just a platform for me to try and impress everyone, not just at Chelsea but everywhere in the world," Sturridge had said on the eve of Everton game. But haven't Bolton earned the right to be more than just a platform? They should be proud of the role they are playing in the development of these players, but angry at the system that forces it upon them.

I agree with all the above... discuss...

[plymouth wanderer]

me too i was't impressed when he said we are just a platform lets just hope he keeps his feet on the ground cus there was a couple of times yestarday when he could of set up chungy a few times but opted not to let's just hope he knows it wont always go right for him

[Latham8wfc]

Interesting article, I think it’s also going to become more and more apparent as we approach the 2015 season where all clubs competing in European competitions have to be financially solvent and also with proposal of the 6 home grown players in every starting XI the purchasing / development of youth players will become more critical.

Maybe the transferring of players under a certain age can be changed that might help clubs that have a good youth development setup become better teams and ultimately more competitive in the league.

[thebish]

I've always thought it was skanky of clubs to abscond 9yr olds... a good case made there...

[Lord Kangana]

I couldn't care less what he says, if he has the kind of scoring record he has at the moment. Sure, Jack had a little humility about him, but diff'nt strokes.

As for young players, I always have believed, and still do, that there has to be some kind of centralised training initiative and a draft system. Certainly, there should be a quota on how many players any one club can have, no ifs, buts or maybe's, such as "affiliated" clubs, a simple number for one club (say 16 per year group, no messing).

[Trotski]

Yesterday he was diving and bickering and he does not seem to like the team side of the game of football much.

What the hell do they feed the youngsters at the big clubs in order to turn them into pr*cks?! Having seen very little of him it seems his talent does not match his assessment of himself. To be honest he had a relatively poor game yesterday.

The goals does help his evaluation somewhat. Forza Sturridge for now, he's easily good enogh for us for now.

I'll start hating him when he leaves for the spectator stands overlooking the mighty Stamford Bridge.

[TANGODANCER]

Great to get the recognition as a seperate entity and it's a good recommendation, but also couldn't agree more that we need to be Bolton Wanderers as a club of our own standing first and foremost. Becoming a finishing school could possibly dry up somewhere along the line and our own core squad of players who actually want to play for Bolton is the important factor. If they work in harmony we might get some exciting young players in our team, but it's a bit like borrowed goods; they have to go back to the owners, and probably all the better for the experence here, which doesn't come free to us. Platforms belong on railway stations young Mr Sturridge. Mind you, three goals in three games is going some way to show his thanks.

[Lofthouse Lower]

He's pretty good at diving, but you don't get those decisions at Bolton, sunshine. You'll need to stay on your feet a bit more, for me.

[thebish]

Platforms belong on railway stations young Mr Sturridge. Mind you, three goals in three games is going some way to show his thanks.

come on, Tango - we all know you mean shoes!!

[Prufrock]

Aye goes down too easily. Not bad as the only complaint though. I really didn't think he'd have much of an impact, and certainly not so quickly. Not fussed about the Chelsea comments either, of course that is what he is doing, that ambition and drive is a good thing. If he'd said something along the lines that he was too good for Bolton and wouldn't dream of staying here permanently then fair enough, but I like that he thinks he can get his way into the Chelsea team on the back of this; it means he is setting himself some pretty high standards. FWIW I think he have a million times more chance of getting him permanently than we ever did Wilshere, but still not much.

[thebish]

he's being honest - he's on loan - he's a Chelsea player - so what??

[Worthy4England]

Yesterday he was diving and bickering and he does not seem to like the team side of the game of football much.

What the hell do they feed the youngsters at the big clubs in order to turn them into pr*cks?! Having seen very little of him it seems his talent does not match his assessment of himself. To be honest he had a relatively poor game yesterday.

The goals does help his evaluation somewhat. Forza Sturridge for now, he's easily good enogh for us for now.

I'll start hating him when he leaves for the spectator stands overlooking the mighty Stamford Bridge.

He undoubtedly comes across as a bit of a gobshite. And yes - a number of occasions, his close control was piss poor and you think the talent he attributes to himself is probably > than that which he actually has.

But he'll probably not be back next season, so here's to him bagging a few more, before like yourself I can consign him to the "what a pr*ck" bin.

[hisroyalgingerness]

I don't think he's a top four player. He's not good enough to get in their first team, and he isn't an impact player - for me he looks like he needs time to get into a game, but provide him with chances and he'll stick them away.

Sooooo Danny Boy just stick with us young man, experience the highs of getting into Europe and then being rested from the key games

[irie Cee Bee]

Glad to have him on our side for now....keep banging them in Daniel !!

[officer_dibble]

Its very true...what gets me is if it were my kid, and Chelsea were offering all the money in the world, I'd still say get to Crewe, get in the first team, and lets take it from there.

Wilshere was quoted as basically saying lets stick it up Barcelona today - where else would he of learnt that?!

[Tombwfc]

Definately echo the sentiments about Sturridge's attitude, there doesn't seem to be that much to like outside of the fact that he's breaking the net in every game. Still, I doubt Wilshere turned up on his first day as a card carrying member of the BWSA, so there's time yet.

As for the article, yes it is a shit situation. It's equally shit that football has ended up at the stage where the best we can hope to do in a season is finish about 8th. You've just got to make the best of it and wait for everyone else to implode.

[TANGODANCER]

It's equally shit that football has ended up at the stage where the best we can hope to do in a season is finish about 8th. You've just got to make the best of it and wait for everyone else to implode.

And treat every game as a cup final. There are no bad sides in the Premier League, only some less good than others (due mainly to the nature of the financially ruled game today). There's so little gap between mid-table and relegation right now that it can all change in a month. Focus is what we need with our current willingness to fight and team spirit. Keep them and we'll get there. The days of "matches we should win" are gone. Every game's crucial and I can't remember a season with so many shock results for a long time. Focus and playing hard for ninety-five minutes every week till season end are what we just have to do. OC's reaction to our second goal against Everton says it all.

[Dujon]

I'm not too sure about the original author's sentiments. Bolton, or any other club for that matter, is not forced into taking players on loan. It's an option when available, not an imperative. The system allows both clubs to benefit from an arrangement. Sometimes it will be an arrangement with an option to offer the player a 'permanent' contract whilst other times it's just a loan - often with a rider for recall to the parent club in certain defined circumstances.

I'm ambivalent when it comes to signing up youngsters barely into their teens though. To me it seems far, far too young and it implies that such decisions are made not by the player (regardless of the lad's feelings - pro or con) but by advisors of one ilk or another. That, I've got to be honest, makes me uncomfortable. I am no way suggesting that clubs in general don't take care of these budding bundles of talent but, I don't know, the system makes me squirm a bit.

[Lennon'sEleven]

I don't mind the comments about using Bolton as a platform too much. At the end of the day, that was sort of what we signed up for, and he is only stating what he genuinely believes.

However, it is more of a shame for the general state of football when the gulf between an elite handfull of clubs and the rest means that it wouldn't even occur to a player that Bolton, a top 10 team that has qualified for Europe twice recently and has a decent Premier League record stretching back 10 years, is a very decent place to play your football.

And for a very decent wage too.

He should be proud to pull on the shirt, and let his feet do the talking. The thing with cocky so-and-sos is that they often don't see what they've got until it's gone - and that goes for all walks of life. However in this case, I wouldn't be surprised if in 2 years time he is still bench-warming at a Big Club, thinking: "I really enjoyed it at Bolton, playing week-in-week-out, scoring goals and getting noticed."

But, like I said, I don't mind if he can't see that right now. Score goals and we're happy, and he believes he's destined for the Sampions Lig.

I hope he doesn't get his hopes up too highm though, because a bad attitude will only be accepted if it's accompanied by an enormous amount of talent.

[Il Pirate]

He also said Bolton is a platform, following the Everton game, as well as prior to it. Unfortunately, I feel this is the future of the premiership. Good quality young players being loaned out to the 'smaller' clubs for development. I think it's great that we are, in a way, pioneers of a trend which will become the norm over the next few seasons, and hopefully more up coming young players will want to choose Bolton. I think a few other clubs will join us in taking players of prem caliber who can't hold down a first team berth at the 'big' clubs. It makes a refreshing change to see us taking youngsters now, rather than what we did originaly, and take older, though still top quality players, in the twilight of their careers. The problem I foresee, and it may manifest itself with young DS, should he continue scoring, that if Chelsea say they don't want him back at the end of the season, could we afford him, even if he wanted to stay? And this problem will continue with future young players loaned out to whoever, say for instance Stoke took a youngster on loan for a season and he sets the world on fire; his parent club don't want him back 'cos they have a team of 25 million + players. Who in the prem, apart from the big clubs could afford them? It's just my opinion, but they would probably head abroad and be lost to the very league they wanted to play in originaly. Not all will be Wiltshires or Sturridges, but the 'small' prem clubs will be doing what old 3/4 div clubs did years ago, acting as a nursery for the bigger simpions league clubs. QED Cahil come June.