Jody Morris just provided a startling insight into the state of English academy football
How will England’s future stars ever develop?
Much of the pre-match discussion before Liverpool’s Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea revolved around the Merseyside club’s famed academy.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were praised by Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Jody Morris, who cited Trent Alexander-Arnold as one of the success stories who has come through the ranks.
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PA:Press Association He’s now an ever-present in the first team[/caption]
In stark contrast to the Liverpool youngsters who have emerged from the academy in recent years, it has been a very different story at Stamford Bridge.
Despite Chelsea boasting one of the most-successful sides at youth level, very few have made the step up to regular first team action in recent years.
Morris, a successful Blues academy graduate who came from the same crop as John Terry, revealed horror stories of just how little importance some managers put on youth football.
Times Newspapers Ltd Large and little[/caption]
Speaking honestly before his old side kicked-off at Anfield, Morris revealed the extremes that former Chelsea managers went to just to avoid watching youth sides in action.
“You’ve got to have a manager first and foremost who actually wants to look,” he said.
“We’ve had managers at Chelsea where 50-yards away there would be an U19’s Champions League match going on, and the manager has decided to sit in his office rather than come and watch.”
The former Blues man spoke without restraint before the game
It’s as yet unclear the Chelsea managers who Morris was directly referring to.
Although Twitter has already started to speculate.
Chelsea fans were left in disbelief last week after Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi failed to start the first Europa League game of the campaign.
It’s a familiar story with Maurizio Sarri’s starting eleven for the Carabao Cup tie against their Premier League rivals.
Hudson-Odoi was left to warm the bench, with Loftus-Cheek also absent through injury.
Getty - Contributor The highly-rated youngster is yet to earn the trust of his manager[/caption]
With revelations like the one from Morris tonight, it’s little surprise to see the pool of English talent drying up.
Good luck, Gareth Southgate.
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