Dominic Solanke - another one who got away

[WoodleyRoyal]

Reading-born youngster makes Chelsea debut in Champions League

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... es-7978614

[PistolPete]

If he was an under 8 now I'm sure he wouldn't be training at Chelsea. Maybe of course, but the clubs youth system has come a long way in 10 years.

[maffff]

Can we blame Rodgers?

[genome]

Fold the club

[Wycombe Royal]

"Another" - really?

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Apparently

[SCIAG]

If he was an under 8 now I'm sure he wouldn't be training at Chelsea. Maybe of course, but the clubs youth system has come a long way in 10 years.

We've come a long way, but actually the peak of our recruiting power was probably about 10 years ago. Geoff Warner's move from Palace in 2000 signalled a big change, no longer did we miss out on the likes of Hayden Mullins, Tom Soares and Dean Whitehead. We signed, and kept, Cox, Henry, Pearce, Taylor, Obita, Cooper, Tanner, Kuhl, and Stacey, and it would have been a similar story with Wickham but for factors outside our control.

Since then Chelsea have probably had the upper hand, and right now the best young players in Reading are generally at Chelsea's academy. Expect a group of Reading-born scholars in Chelsea's U18s in about five years time. We rely on players from outside of Reading and those that Chelsea pass on. (or who turn down Chelsea, which is more common than you might think).

[SCIAG]

"Another" - really?

FWIW, current Premier League players from the Reading area include Theo Walcott (Newbury), Tom Cleverley (Basingstoke), Liam Bridcutt (Reading) and Andy King (Maidenhead). That would be an incredible midfield.

Throw in Anton Rodgers and Sam Hutchinson and it really becomes fair to call Solanke "another" that got away.

Realistically we're never going to capture everybody but it's still frustrating when we miss out.

[genome]

Does Charlie Austin count?

[Wycombe Royal]

"Another" - really?

FWIW, current Premier League players from the Reading area include Theo Walcott (Newbury), Tom Cleverley (Basingstoke), Liam Bridcutt (Reading) and Andy King (Maidenhead). That would be an incredible midfield.

Throw in Anton Rodgers and Sam Hutchinson and it really becomes fair to call Solanke "another" that got away.

Realistically we're never going to capture everybody but it's still frustrating when we miss out.

They have only "got away" if we ever had them on our books in the first place. So Charlie Austin, Connor Wickham and Solanke would all count( although Wickham there was nothing we could do to stop him as it was his parents who were moving).

There are very few young players we have had on our books who have left us on gone on to become top players. Hence why I don't agree with the use of the word "another".

Just because they grew up in the area doesn't mean they got away from us if we never had a look in in the first place.

As for Tom Cleverley, he might have been born in Basingstoke but he grew up in Bradford and was part of their youth set up before he joined Man Utd at the age of 11. He got away from Bradford, not us.

[sandman]

Wouldn't lose too much sleep over it given the less than stellar record Chelsea have had at producing young players since John Terry. And given the fact that apart from Rapahel Varane Mourinho is pretty much the death knell for a young players career.