“The days of nurturing local talent are gone”

I read with a substantial degree of resignation the inevitable news that 17-year-old Isaac Baker has left Bristol Rovers to join the Fulham Under 18s squad. Academy manager Jonathan Henderson goes through the motions when he says:  “Whilst we are disappointed to lose a player of Isaac’s calibre, we recognise that the opportunity presented to him to join one of the top Academy sides in the country is one that he could not pass up.” As someone famous once said: well, he would say that, wouldn’t he? 

The days of a football club nurturing the next generation of first team players from its own youth set up are long gone. As we are learning more and more frequently at the Rovers, when truly exceptional players come through the ranks – and Baker has been at the club since he was seven – we cannot hope to keep them. In days gone by, the top clubs, that is to say top flight clubs, would look to sign the finished product and shell out a large wedge of cash in order to do so.  Nowadays, the vultures start circling when the boys are barely men and they take a punt on potential as much as ability. 

Some years ago, Lennie Lawrence, then director of football, addressed a Supporters Club meeting and was asked a question about young players. It was not long after Scott Sinclair moved to Chelsea. Lawrence was quite blunt. Rovers would never be able to hold onto the truly exceptional young players whilst the club was in the lower echelons of the League and the reality was with players like Sinclair, the main aim would be to make as much money as possible from their sale.  The production line to the first team would comprise of the less than stellar talents, effectively (my words) the journeymen of football. Local lads done all right, as opposed to great.

Since Rovers ill-advised removal of Lawrence – look what happened afterwards – the situation is far worse. It is not just the Premiership clubs who sweep up all the talent, the Championship clubs are now doing the same. And there is a lot of money in the Championship. And it is a grim reality that Isaac Baker will not be the last exciting local talent who will excite the coaches and fans for a short time before moving up to the next level with another club.

Jonathan Henderson recognises this reality when he said Baker could not “pass up” the opportunity “to join one of the top Academy sides in the country”, saying clearly that Rovers were not one of the top Academy sides in the country.

I’m afraid we need to get used to this state of affairs because this is now things are going to be. Rovers spend a substantial sum on youth development but you would not think they did when looking at the first team. It has been this way for decades. Will they, one day, decide it really isn’t worth bothering? 

A lot of clubs do feel that way and have scaled back their academies and centres of excellence, preferring to recruit from the numerous players who are signed by Premier League and indeed Championship clubs at an early age and then, inevitably released.

It is disappointing to lose another talented player, but Baker won’t be the last.

Picture from Bristol Rovers.

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