Saka is ready for England because that's how good he is. The only common denominator between him and Omilabu is that they are young footballers - hundreds and hundreds of them up and down the Country didn't play for England and never will. The proportion of young pros who play for England is probably about the same as the proportion of youth players who get to the first team - i.e. tiny.

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that on those days when you've seen the youth team look really good, they were playing against other youth teams, not against senior players in a premier league game.

I hate to piss in anyone's cornflakes, but above and beyond needing a young team, we need a good one. Too many seem inclined to mistake the former for the latter.

I've no reason to say that the best of the current crop won't make it - I hope they do, and at Palace too - but the upgrades to the academy are simply an exercise in giving us a level playing field when it comes to attracting and retaining players in the hideously competitive cattle market of youth football. That's vital, and the club is right to do it, but we should be clear that whilst academy investment increases the chances of producing first-team players, no amount of facilities and coaches can bring certainty to the development of young footballers.

The club can actively pursue a business plan of leaving gaps in the squad for your graduates, offering both a pathway for in-house youth, a sales-pitch to the likes of Olise, and a sensible economic strategy, but nothing can overcome the simple basic fact that very few young players make it.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (27 Jul 2021 12.28pm)