I'd love to see Kaikai, Dreher, Boateng and a couple of others given a go. Unfortunately, the stakes are so high in the PL that few teams are willing to try youngsters. Spurs, Southampton and Everton have been successful at doing this, but that's because they're all teams that are relatively secure in the PL and don't have to worry about relegation and all that would mean.

What is sad is that even though we've got a huge catchment area, we haven't brought through anyone who has demanded a place in the starting line-up for several years now. We had a few youngsters on the bench last season like Dreher, Phillips, Husin, Win-Bassaka and Wynter, but none of them actually got on the pitch and I see that Wynter was one of those released last week.

Edited by cpj (15 Jun 2017 11.06am)

I think I’m in the minority in that I couldn’t give a monkeys whether our players are academy graduates.

ALL players who play for Crystal Palace FC do so because it’s the best thing for their career at that time. None of them are fans.

I don’t particularly identify with a player because he happened to come through our youth system. A goal scored by Benteke is just as enjoyable as one by Zaha.

The players we field should be the best that we have available to us. Simple as that.

We won't replace them.
The players we sign will go into the first 11 just Like in January.

Palace 13th 2017/18.

Absolutely right Sherlock that they have to be good enough to play for the first team but we will not know this until they are tested. Taking KaiKai as an example, he has had a couple of Seasons on loan in the lower Leagues where he has done reasonably well and has been on our First Team's subs bench on several occasions. Our new manager said in yesterday's Press Conference that he believes in bringing young players through so it is highly likely that we will see KaiKai and others given a fair chance in pre-Season and possibly at the Asia Tournament. Hopefull, exciting times ahead. Come on Frank.

But there is a huge difference between doing 'reasonably' well at lower level and then stepping up to the Premier League. Of the 18 games Kai Kai played last season, he came off the bench in 12 of them, so it's not like he established himself as a first choice player for Brentford in that time.

Not saying he won't make it, just that there isn't really much evidence right now to suggest he's going to be worthy of a regular place in the team.

Employee of the month is a good example of how someone can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.

Good post Willo, and as Frank said they must be goodenough.
Which they are not at the moment.
So lets hope the Academy improves and we find another Wilf.

Palace 13th 2017/18.