If you're talking international level, I don't agree. Big progress has been made over the last few years and, as a result, we've done exceptionally well across the varying age groups this summer.

We lost the U17 European Championship final, won the Toulon tournament, won the U20 world cup and reached the U21 semi-finals. Both of the losses were on penalties. No other side can claim that level of success. We're also 2nd favourites for the U19 Euros so should do well in that.

Regarding the second highlighted quote, the point is that it is the only way we can possibly compete in the long term. Southampton and Tottenham have both enjoyed tremendous success in recent years on the back of developing young players that they have either bought from lower leagues/abroad or plucked from their academies. Whether they have permanently integrated them in their first team or sold them on for huge profits and subsequently used that money to strengthen again, they have grown stronger and stronger. It is exactly the model we should be looking to emulate.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold...

Exactly! Good post

Genuine question. Is an Academy with the cost and hassle worth it? Only Southampton appear to use it correctly, the rest just play at it. Why not except that you cannot take the risk of playing younger players and buy players from the lower leagues? I would love our academy to produce even one player a year but it all seems miles away. I get the impression no one is really close to the first team, perhaps the odd game in the League Cup but are we kidding ourselves that things are going to change?

The ups and downs of Palace have left me older than my years

What the coaching like strict or relaxed. I personally think he's been there too long and it's time for a total restructure.

Another Damien Diagonal - Total Football

Problem is, there's little to suggest they can do that? If you wanted someone to come in to be a squad player, you'd at least want them to be a notable performer in the Champ. None of our loanees have managed that so far.

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

I'd play the youth in every cup game because it's VERY unlikely we're ever going to win it anyway and would keep our first team squad fresher for the league. I'd also play the majority of them in the league as soon as we're safe from relegation.

Raised on a diet of broken biscuits