Academy ‘youngsters have it too easy’
Apr 4 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal
DEAN Whitehead has warned Sunderland they should not ignore English football’s lower leagues after arguing that Premier League Academies had made life too easy for young players.
Whitehead began his career with Oxford United and, like team-mate Danny Collins, who made his league debut for Chester City, is convinced his experience in the lower leagues has been priceless to him at Sunderland.
However, although former Black Cats manager Mick McCarthy was not afraid to plunder smaller clubs for their best players, it remains an unfashionable policy for most Premier League bosses. “I think clubs ignore players in the lower leagues,” said Whitehead, who has gone on to become a well-established Premier League midfielder.
“I can only remember one recently and that was Keith Andrews who went from MK Dons to Blackburn Rovers last summer. A lot was made of that at the time and people said it was too big a leap, but he is playing well and scoring goals at the moment so people need to be given chances. Hopefully more will follow.
“This type of (financial) climate at the moment, a lot of lower league clubs have to play their young players and that should put them in the shop window for other clubs to look at. The recession may mean that good young players do get a chance to make a name for themselves and get that move to the Premier League. There are some really good young players out there, but you need that bit of luck, you have to have that excellent game when the right person is there to watch it. Then you can get a chance at a higher level, which is what happened to me.
“I think it’s important young English players do get a chance in the lower leagues, but it’s the same for Sunderland. We will save a fortune if we can produce our own first-team players.
“I’m sure Quinny and the people who bought the club will be desperate to see the likes of Martyn Waghorn, Jack Colbeck and Jordan Henderson get into the side in the next couple of years.” And, having spent the formative years of his career at Oxford having boots thrown at him by senior pros, Whitehead believes some youngster are too comfortable in the Academies.
He added: “I was cleaning boots all day every day at Oxford, Nigel Jemson, Paul Moody, Phil Gilchrist. I do think the young lads now have it very, very easy.
“My memories at Oxford are fantastic. It was character building. If Nigel wasn’t happy with this boots in the morning he’d chuck them back at you and tell you to clean them again.
“I hated it at times, but he was in the first team and whatever he wants, we have to do. I found it good, it made the players closer if anything because you had that bit of banter between the senior players and the youngsters.”
