Blackburn Rovers blog: Truth is youngsters will always fly the nest (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Blackburn Rovers blog: Truth is youngsters will always fly the nest
4:00pm Wednesday 15th June 2011 in Chris Flanagan
By Chris Flanagan, Sports reporter
Blackburn Rovers blog: Truth is youngsters will always fly the nest
IT was hard to know what to make of Sunday. Two Blackburn Rovers academy graduates lined up against Spain in England’s opening game of the UEFA Under 21 Championship, yet for both their Ewood days were already over.
Local lads who have made their way through the Rovers youth system, we should wish them well.
But somehow, watching them on Sunday was not quite the same.
The departures of Phil Jones, for £16.5m rising to £20m plus, and Frank Fielding, reportedly for £250,000 with add-ons up to £400,000, show the value of a good academy and have swiftly repaid years of investment by the club.
Sadly, their time at Rovers saw few first-team appearances.
Fielding played more than 100 games on loan elsewhere, but never made it into Rovers’ senior side before his exit to Derby.
Jones made 40 exceptional appearances, then Blackburn could hold on to him no longer.
It is perhaps sad that, for all but the top clubs, academies are now developing players for other people. The best ones will always leave.
Manchester United and others are now able to bid so high so early in a youngster’s career, because the financial gulf is so great and they can afford to take the risk.
Clause or no clause, player ambition means eventually they will get their way.
If Jones’ choice of Old Trafford was unfortunate, given that United are not exactly a favourite club for many Rovers fans, it was understandable.
Take the emotion out of it and consider a similar situation in Spain.
A star of the club that finished 15th in La Liga, Real Sociedad, would not be expected to turn down a move to Barcelona.
Jones’ departure had long appeared inevitable. He spoke of victory at Wolves being the highlight of his career, and was grounded enough to stress his total gratitude for the fans’ support throughout a turbulent campaign. When interest from other clubs cropped up, he was clearly non-committal.
The rumours became so strong he must have sensed he was about to receive an offer he could not refuse.
Plenty might have hoped Rovers had found a star of the next decade when Jones emerged from their ranks.
Instead, his progress with England will be a reminder of what might have been.
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (2)
8:54pm Thu 16 Jun 11
Juan Mormonie says...
If a club that finished 15th had a bottomless wallet of billions and brought in talented players and a top class manager and the player was a long term supporter of the team, there is no guarantee the player would leave for the champions. Shearer went to his hometown team and I think Jones could have stayed...
Like any other talented and ambitious player, Jones wants to represent his country and play in Europe and his domestic league with a team capable of winning trophies and has a soft spot for the team he supports.
I doubt he would have left if an experienced and proven manager had taken over from Sam and if some wise additions had been made in January. I also doubt he would have requested the release clause.
He just doesn't believe we can break into the top 5 or win trophies.
When Jones demanded a new contract with a release clause, he did so in the knowledge that a bid from a top 5 club was at least possible, if not likely this season or next.
Moreover, it shows he wanted to make sure he could go if he wanted to - that Venkys and Kean would have said no was a risk for him given that money is no longer the issue that is has been in recent years.
The decision was ultimately taken to accept a lower wage at United than was on the table at Rovers and without the absolutely guaranteed first team slot he would have enjoyed at Rovers.
He clearly believes that he will be a key player for United in the near future. That Chris Smalling has had a lot of games this season shows that Fergie was already considering rebuilding for the future. Contact with United players and a meeting with Fergie in person convinced him it was right for him.
I think it's a good move for him and wish him all the best for club and country.
Very few United academy kids make the grade - those that do have been bought in (not brought in) late on in the academy process. It's a great advertisement for our academy that we can develop kids from scratch and that they will get a real chance if they cut the mustard - and it will help to attract high calibre kids going forward. We are in direct competition with United in this respect.
It was a mistake to allow Jones the release clause, or at least such a small figure in a 5 year contract - imagine what he'd have been worth in a few seasons as an experienced player with a bunch of England caps and a few steps away from the England captaincy... Shocking management, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and it's important to recognise that we do have an owner new to the game and an inexperienced manager trying to build for the future.
Mistakes have been made that will hurt us in the short-term, but it's not the end of the world and there are good times to come. It will take another decade and a few shaky seasons before we can have a team almost entirely composed of talented youth team products committed to the club who cost virtually nothing and a few stars bought with the revenue from sales of other youth team products playing attack-minded football.
Jack's legacy is paying off but patience is required.
Keep the faith!
11:09am Tue 28 Jun 11
manyarecalled says...
I don't know about Jones getting less at ManU than at Rovers . his agent is to blame for that, if that is true.
what is the game plan for the future back 4 , now that he is gone ? do we have one ?
I agree that it will take a few seasons to our act together. I can understand a player going to the top 4 , for champions league opportunities .if a player goes to A. Villa , Lpool etc though , it is another story.then it would show a lack of ambition on Rovers part.