The Premier League has the fewest number of minutes played by players aged 21 or under in Europe’s top five leagues. According to a survey by CIES (International Centre for Sports Studies), just 5.3% of all Premier League minutes have been played by the youngsters up until last weekend. An astonishing fact considering in Germany, players aged 21 or under have played 14.7% minutes of all Bundesliga minutes this season, a huge gap.
The statistic shows young players are struggling to break in to the first team and get minutes in the top flight. Young players simply cannot develop if they do not get game time at their clubs. England manager Gareth Southgate recently said he is “worried by England’s shrinking talent pool” but why is it English youngsters are struggling to get minutes in the Premier League?
Fulham Academy director Huw Jennings believes the global league only involves the best. “The Premier League is a global one and inevitably therefore, wants the best players in the world. This will have an impact on the ability for young players to play in it, but the best will get through.”
Meanwhile Jody Rivers, director of coaching at Matt Le Tissier’s Natural Coaching academy believes managers do not have the luxury of time for young players to develop. “Managers’ jobs are on the line more than ever –they need the points for relegation battles and the fight for European spots, they’re likely to go with the more senior, experienced players to try and get every point they can.”
The lifeline of a coach in today’s era is shorter than ever with 13 managerial changes in the Premier League 17/18 season and two sackings already this campaign. With their jobs on the line, it seems they are not willing to take the risk of playing young and inexperienced players.
It is a questionable decision as Borussia Dortmund, who have an average age of 24; currently sit top of the Bundesliga by seven points as of this weekend. The German team have taken the gamble of playing a relatively young side and are now reaping the benefits. Someone who seems to share this viewpoint is former Liverpool player and football expert Jamie Redknapp who has urged Premier League clubs to give youngsters a chance. “I go and watch these young players, they have the talent. They just need the opportunity. They need a brave manager to give them a chance.”
There is no doubt England do have a lot of talent in their ranks, the international honours in recent years back this up with England winning the World Cup at under-20 and under-17 level plus the under–19s European Championship last summer. However there seems to be a barrier in front of youth development that exists in this country. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lewis Cook feature regularly for Everton and Bournemouth respectively but none of England’s Under-20s World Cup-winning team from 2017 have established themselves as a first-team starter.
Managers would rather go with the not necessarily better but experienced players, some even go and buy foreign exports instead of youth academy products. This in turn stifles youth development, as the players are not playing week in and week out at a top level. In order to improve as a player, you need match experience and game time is very limited right now for the youngsters. An example of this is Ademola Lookman. The winger went on loan to RB Leipzig and scored 5 goals in 11 appearances, Everton then opted against sending him out on loan again when he returned in the summer. The 21-year-old has started just one game in the Premier League this season and was surely better off in Germany where he was actually getting game time.
Another player in a precarious situation is Ruben Loftus Cheek; who went on loan from Chelsea to Crystal Palace last season in order to get first team football. The midfielder was an integral part of the side staying up, making 24 appearances, only three being from the bench. Chelsea then decided to keep him in the summer but Loftus Cheek; has been restricted to just one start in the League this campaign.
He will certainly have to consider his future at the club soon as he ponders first team opportunities. The two Englishmen are an example of clubs stockpiling talent. Most notoriously Chelsea who have 40 players out on loan, have built up a reputation in recent years for keeping young talent in their ranks and not allowing them to develop by getting first team chances or leave permanently in fear of them coming up short in the player’s position. They do not mind storing a large amount of young talent in their ranks for the club’s benefit.
We can’t put all the blame on the managers and clubs for a lack of chances for the youngsters in England, we also have to ask are they good enough to make it to the highest level? Does the structure we have allow players to develop? Jody Rivers believes the system we have in place is not good enough. “I think we have to look at what’s below the Premier League, so the under 23 leagues – does it replicate the Premier League in the style that it’s being played at?
“I’ve watched some under 23 games, and it’s what I would call pretty football.
“Everyone’s playing the same way, and I think that in the Premier League now, obviously Pep Guardiola’s come in and Mauricio Pochettino, managers like that- and play a certain style that we all want to copy.
“But when you’re up against Burnley away and Stoke away, and you’ve got to defend in those situations, are we producing players that can replicate that style?”
The under 23 leagues do not seem to represent the intensity of the Premier League as there’s many young players without experience playing or first team players coming back from injury. There seems to be a disconnect from under 23/reserve football to first team football, as many are not able to make the transition. The highest level in English football requires intensity and a certain ‘bite’ to your game. A solution to this, Jody Rivers believes is non-league football.
“Non-league is definitely a good, viable option. Not only to have a good career in football, but to maybe get to the top.
“Playing against tough footballers on not so flat pitches, learning your trade, learning the game. I think that non-league teaches you just how to play football, stand up, get results and be a man.”
The likes of Jamie Vardy, Joe Hart and Michail Antonio grafted their way from non-league to the big time and have a valid claim that it toughened them up and strengthened their physical aspect of their game.
Although youth development is a cause for concern in this country, there are some English talents that are playing regularly in the Premier League and are thriving upon it. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is 21 years old, has racked up over 80% of all Premier League minutes Crystal Palace have played this season. Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon also joins him on that list, whilst Liverpool’s Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander Arnold; have also been a constant for the Reds this campaign.
The youngsters have been shown a commitment of faith by their respective managers and have repaid them for the opportunity. A few beacons of hope for the youth as they show it is possible to break through and play constantly. This gets the fans on board, as they like to see a homegrown talent shine as they believe ‘he’s one of our own’ as the popular football chant goes.
The difficulty faced by youngsters at the top Premier League clubs is best shown by the situation of English players at Arsenal and Chelsea. Both clubs named five starting line-ups in the first eight Premier League games this season without an English player.
An option and recent trend for English players is moving abroad. A man spearheading this movement is Jadon Sancho. The Borussia Dortmund winger told BBC Sport: “If English clubs are not giving you a chance then abroad is always an option.
“They’re always open to just seeing your ability and, hopefully, if you’re good enough then you get your chance.”
In 2017, Jadon Sancho, a under 17 World Cup winner with England rejected a new contract from Manchester City after not being promised enough playing time and moved to Germany with Borussia Dortmund.
Fast forward to November 2018 and the Englishman’s brave decision has paid off with him winning Bundesliga Player of the month for October. It was an unusual choice at the time when he moved abroad however it’s already proving to be the right one as Sancho has already bagged six goals and seven assists in all competitions this season. The scintillating form has even earned him an England call up to the senior squad.
Bundesliga journalist Peter Auf De Heyde says young players such as Sancho getting a chance in Germany is a common trend. “I think that in German football there generally has been a tradition of young players getting opportunities.
“There’s less of a culture of getting rid of managers so quickly. There’s less pressure on the coaches whereas in England, there’s a lot of pressure to get results. So, they can afford to play young players.”
Reiss Nelson has also followed suit in packing his bags and playing overseas. He took the bold step of trading familiar surroundings for game time. The Arsenal loanee is showcasing his talent on weekly basis in the Bundesliga and Champions League for Hoffenheim, claiming rookie month of the month for October.
English prospects such as Recce Oxford, Jonathan Panzo, Marcus McGuane and Ronaldo Viera are now comfortable with the idea and have jetted abroad.
Jordan Hall, an Englishman who played in Monaco’s youth academy till the age of 16 would recommend anyone to seek opportunities elsewhere in Europe.
“I would 100% advise young players to go abroad, it’s rare you’re going to get an opportunity to play first team football over here.
“There’s so much potential in English football right now but they are not giving chances to players. It’s quite simple, you can see what Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson are doing in the Bundesliga they’re tearing it apart. I’m quite confident when you go abroad you’ll be given first team opportunities.”
He also said the facilities and the way they treated him was second to none.
“The Monaco training ground and facilities were absolutely brilliant, you had gym, swimming pools, sauna and 6 pitches.
“We had all of that at that age and we were treated like professionals, at that age that’s all you can ask for. Coaches were brilliant as well, it felt like you were professional and that’s the best way.”
With many European clubs willing to take the gamble on youngsters, this is now a viable option for many of the new generation. However, this could be stopped with the introduction of Brexit.
If Brexit had been in place at the time, Sancho would not have been allowed to move to Dortmund. The deal with the European Union will make it harder for clubs to sign players as it restricts the freedom of movement.
The young winger would have had to wait till he was 18 in order to get his transfer.
In order for youth to flourish in this country some are calling for change. When Brexit is put into place, it will require support from the FA. A chance for them to maybe increase the current quota of eight home-grown players in a 25 man squad.
Huw Jennings is in favour of more being done by the authorities. “The Premier League should be more robust with owners by holding them to account for their commitment to their youth policy.”
In a time where there’s more talent than ever in England’s youth system and first team opportunities are hard to come by. Moving abroad may be a smart decision for England’s prospects.
Peter's Football Thoughts 