Short termism means many managers are reluctant to play kids = coupled with poor coaching, so many clubs, including our own, miss out on opportunities to really add value.

Something I've not really thought of but I'd say it's a combination of all three. We're a premier league club with league one facilities, we don't have much of an academy to speak of, I read on here that our under 18's play at goals? If that's correct? Zaha and bolasie improved without question, Soare I'm not convinced, that may be clouded by his comeback from the accident. I always used to think that he couldn't defend but had something going forward, I doubt much has changed.

Clinton Morrison, Chris Armstrong, Andy Preece, three of my favourite players and arguably improved whilst here, albeit quite a while ago. Recently under the current regime I'm struggling

It's a very good point. I'm looking forward to Christmas when RLC will have had all of his good qualities trained out of him and be as bad as puncheon.

Think you can also add poor purchases into that list. Not sure how many have come through in that 84. The best training in the world wouldn't get them anywhere near the level required in the PL. The rot started early with Ollie and his sweet shop spree and every manager since has taken long punts with players. Hopefully if we do fall through the door this season I hope we don't come back (if we do) and do exactly the same. We need a small amount of quality than a mass of mediocrity. Spend early as waiting for a bargain/doing a deal at the death won't work. None has pushed any youth forward even in the very brief times when we had a couple of safe games. This won't change, even now, as we are scrapping for points in every match but might change if we do drop. Another issue on the other side of the coin is that some players clearly haven't been prepared to put in the graft either, even though they have the ability.

Edited by Booted Eagle (28 Sep 2017 7.26pm)

Edited by Booted Eagle (28 Sep 2017 7.29pm)

“ [T]here are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.There are known unknowns; that is to say there are things that, we now know we don't know.But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. ”
—United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

Speroni improved after Hennessey was signed.
Remember we went up a level.
Making it even harder for a youngster to come through.

Palace 13th 2017/18.

Its an interesting point to raise.

Very different to the Coppell era when most were either from youth or non/lower leagues and went on to be stars.

Makes you wonder how good Coppell could have been had he a bigger budget.

"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit