Post by Macmoish on Jun 13, 2010 7:13:49 GMT
He's go to let go!
Sunday Telegraph/Rob Stewart
Ken Bates blasts former club Chelsea for youth development failure
The former Chelsea chairman, Ken Bates, has had a dig at his old club over the âsignificantâ failure of its youth development policy.
The 78 year-old sold Chelsea to Roman Abramovich in 2003 and he voiced disdain over the Stamford Bridge club inability to nurture English talent since he made way for the Russian billionaire.
Bates, who is now the chairman of Leeds United, singled out the Double winners as he expressed support for Football Leagueâs decision to formally adopt new rules on quotas of home-grown players.
âI think I read somewhere that the Premier League have sent 172 players of different nationalities to the World Cup and that is obviously stifling the growth of home-grown kids,â Bates said.
âThis is an idea both the Premier League and the Football League are trying to implement to encourage the growth of youngsters and give them a better chance.
âFor example, it is significant that since 2003 Chelsea have not brought one single English player into their first-team squads and similar situations apply to other clubs.â
England defender John Terry remains the most high-profile graduate of the Chelsea youth system but now Premier League had paved the way for the changes which will come into play next season for top-flight clubs and their Football League peers.
Bates insisted Leedsâ record stood up to scrutiny after the Football League AGM in Malta voted in favour of new rules restricting clubsâ first team squads to 25 players over the age of 21, of which ten must be âhome grownâ.
âItâs going to put a limit on the unlimited imports of foreign players,â he added: âWeâre quite happy with it. We have the likes of Jonny Howson, Ben Parker and Aidy White for starters and I think itâs good.
âIt will take time to work, but it is a long-term thing not short-term. It also means the managers and coaching staff can concentrate on the players they have chosen.â
Bates, who took over Leeds five years ago, is also confident that âsanityâ will return to the transfer market as clubs trim their wage bills.
âMost clubs are seeking to reduce their wages budget drastically,â Bates said. âThe problem is that means they will have to get rid of players but the ones they want to get rid of are the ones that are overpaid which means the other clubs canât afford to take them. âAt the same time the agents still think there is a pot of gold at football clubs and so they are asking for silly wages.
âThere is a semi stand-off and I think that now what is going to happen is that we will have the World Cup so negotiations will, if not dry up, will go on hold and in the meantime players will realise their players, their clients havenât got a job and therefore their demands will come more realistic and less stupid as time goes by.
âIt means that clubs that want to get rid of players will have to be realistic. A little bit of sanity is now starting to come back to the wages market but again it will take time.â
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/7819515/Ken-Bates-blasts-former-club-Chelsea-for-youth-development-failure.html
Sunday Telegraph/Rob Stewart
Ken Bates blasts former club Chelsea for youth development failure
The former Chelsea chairman, Ken Bates, has had a dig at his old club over the âsignificantâ failure of its youth development policy.
The 78 year-old sold Chelsea to Roman Abramovich in 2003 and he voiced disdain over the Stamford Bridge club inability to nurture English talent since he made way for the Russian billionaire.
Bates, who is now the chairman of Leeds United, singled out the Double winners as he expressed support for Football Leagueâs decision to formally adopt new rules on quotas of home-grown players.
âI think I read somewhere that the Premier League have sent 172 players of different nationalities to the World Cup and that is obviously stifling the growth of home-grown kids,â Bates said.
âThis is an idea both the Premier League and the Football League are trying to implement to encourage the growth of youngsters and give them a better chance.
âFor example, it is significant that since 2003 Chelsea have not brought one single English player into their first-team squads and similar situations apply to other clubs.â
England defender John Terry remains the most high-profile graduate of the Chelsea youth system but now Premier League had paved the way for the changes which will come into play next season for top-flight clubs and their Football League peers.
Bates insisted Leedsâ record stood up to scrutiny after the Football League AGM in Malta voted in favour of new rules restricting clubsâ first team squads to 25 players over the age of 21, of which ten must be âhome grownâ.
âItâs going to put a limit on the unlimited imports of foreign players,â he added: âWeâre quite happy with it. We have the likes of Jonny Howson, Ben Parker and Aidy White for starters and I think itâs good.
âIt will take time to work, but it is a long-term thing not short-term. It also means the managers and coaching staff can concentrate on the players they have chosen.â
Bates, who took over Leeds five years ago, is also confident that âsanityâ will return to the transfer market as clubs trim their wage bills.
âMost clubs are seeking to reduce their wages budget drastically,â Bates said. âThe problem is that means they will have to get rid of players but the ones they want to get rid of are the ones that are overpaid which means the other clubs canât afford to take them. âAt the same time the agents still think there is a pot of gold at football clubs and so they are asking for silly wages.
âThere is a semi stand-off and I think that now what is going to happen is that we will have the World Cup so negotiations will, if not dry up, will go on hold and in the meantime players will realise their players, their clients havenât got a job and therefore their demands will come more realistic and less stupid as time goes by.
âIt means that clubs that want to get rid of players will have to be realistic. A little bit of sanity is now starting to come back to the wages market but again it will take time.â
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/7819515/Ken-Bates-blasts-former-club-Chelsea-for-youth-development-failure.html