Quote:
Originally Posted by cockneyHammer
... I don't have a problem with teams buying the odd young promising player but when your doing it all the time rather than developing any of your own then claiming those players to be products of your own academy it's very wrong.
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Spurs don't claim any such thing - it's simply you building up a straw man argument.
However, we do contribute to the development of several young players who arrive at a young age from the outside and spend time inside our academy and/or reserve teams before - we hope - progressing further.
And we do also have a fine developing array of academy players who have been with Spurs from the outset. Those players - including only 4 players from an 18-strong squad who were signed from outside Spurs - have just won an U-20 international youth tourney in Switzerland, emerging as the best side amongst youth teams from Sevilla FC, Galatasaray, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Sion, CR Flamengo and FC Monthey. The Portuguese club, for instance, have one of the very best youth teams in Europe.
If you don't like the Spurs policy of signing young, British players - then gee that's tough. At least compared to many clubs we give British players a decent chance at a Prem club and a good environment in which to flourish.