FIRST there was Shaun Wright-Phillips, then came Micah Richards. England coach Steve McClaren has given Manchester City's Academy staff two reasons to be cheerful.
The Blues' Academy director Jim Cassell and his staff had every right to celebrate this week after seeing two of their graduates play for England against Holland in Amsterdam.
It's unlikely that City's youth coaches had much time to relax, though.
They have been too busy working into the evenings coaching the 10, 11 and 12-year-olds who are aiming to become the next Richards or Wright-Phillips.
Richards' high-profile leap into the international arena in Amsterdam grabbed the headlines but it was also a huge vote of confidence for City's youth set-up, which is producing a crop of youngsters to rival the golden generation that broke through in the late 1980s - the era of Paul Lake, David White, Andy Hinchcliffe, Ian Brightwell, Paul Moulden and Steve Redmond.
Of the City squad who reached last season's FA Youth Cup final, Richards and midfielder Michael Johnson have made it to the first team, while there are high hopes for striker Daniel Sturridge.
They are following a path trodden in recent seasons by Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton, Nedum Onuoha, Ishmael Miller and Stephen Ireland. For a club with City's limited finances, the ability to produce their own players is vital. That was why the Academy was set up in 1998.
"Shaun was the first to break through, but to produce another to play at international level in Micah is a great boost to the club," said Cassell, the former Oldham Athletic chief scout brought to City in 1997 to oversee the Academy's development.
Manager Stuart Pearce is just as proud as Cassell, and points out that Richards' promotion to international duty should inspire the country's most talented young players to join the Blues' youth system.
Opportunity
He said: "When I sit down and have the conversation with players asking them to extend their contracts, as I did with Micah in the summer, they know full well they'll get the opportunity here.
"Within 14 games of having that conversation and signing a contract with us, Micah's in the full England squad. So he knows he doesn't have to be with one of the big boys. Playing for Manchester City is a fantastic way of getting into an England squad.
"The rate of improvement we've seen in him since he was in the reserve team at this time last year has been outstanding."
Richards himself is sure he won't be the last Academy graduate to win an England cap.
He said: "Maybe Joey Barton will be next, you never know! A lot of players come through the Academy. And the thing is that they come through there and then come to Carrington to join the first team set-up at the right time.
"It's a great honour to play for your country, and it's good that I've got someone like Shaun to help me along that way."
But the Wright-Phillips issue is a double-edged sword with City fans as there are that Richards will be sold, as he was, especially with the club still fighting debt.
But for now he just seems happy to keep learning his trade on the pitch with City.
"It's a learning process. I'm only 18, and I've got to learn, but you're given a chance and you've got to take it."
What do you think? Have your say.
Magic Micah turns focus to Academy
November 18, 2006
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I think Richards is an awesome player but if we receive another awesome bid like SWP, then provided it all goes on new players for the benefit of the club we should accept it. If say Chelsea were to offer us Bridge and SWP in exchange then both teams will benefit. If we don't get a good deal i'll be delighted to keep Richards because he's getting better and better. Why he's not played in central midfield, the position on the pitch that the most can be done, I do not know.
Its all right keep milking the headlines about our youth system,but I was personally brought down to earth when we lost to United 4-2 at reserve level if we are so good why do we keep losing to our nearest rivals?
For a club with City's limited finances, the ability to produce their own players is vital.
We sound just like Crewe now, don't we?
Come on John, one lost game for the reserves doesn't really mean anything. Let's not forget that a full strength utd 1st-team was beaten by recently promoted champ side... it doesn't mean that utd are a worse team tho does it?? The reserve team and the youth teams have been topping or nearly topping their respective tables for some time. But all this doesn't matter, what really matters is how many players are produced that can either get into the first-team squad and do a job, or can be sold for a profit. SWP on his own has funded the academy for years to come. Then there's Micah who must be worth ¿¿10m at least, plus Barton ¿¿3-4m and Jordan. As well as Flood, Croft and Elliot who were all sold for a bit of money and could earn us more through sell on clauses. Then there's Miller, Sturride, Etuhu, Logan, Johnson, Grimes, Laird...
WEll done to the youth academy again.We all know that we have the best talent emerging through , but the problem lies with its leadership ,the man at the top :MR Pearce..
Danny sturridge should have had least made the bench this season,but with this man in charge I cant see him getting a game till next season.MR Pearce is always stating in the press that if your good enough ,age does not matter !
If he truly believes this then how can he justify not even giving STURRiDGE a chance to prove what a quality player he is. City had to go to tribunal to pay coventry monies based on appearances and future sell on clauses for a player they barely had. The England under 18's manager recently stated that during sept-nov when Danny was injured that they 'would miss is cutting egde up front' as quoted on sky sports when Mclaren was due to watch the game.
Owen,and Rooney made fleeting appearances for their teams at 17 years old in teams which had world class players.
In my opinion we dont have world class players yet Sturridges progress has been hindered by poor buys and now probably by another round
of poor striker buys in January.
It seems to me that Pearce would rather at team of Work rate and team players rather than natural ability and flair.
This is my opinion on MR pearce.He wouldnt know a class act forward if the player was staring at him in the face!!!
Come on ,does anyone share my opinions or am I a dreamer.
First there was one bloke that we sold for 20 million that made no difference to the finances of the club, then there was another. We were still skint of course.
YakJensen, I disagree. City will realistically only be able to meet with success in future (a lucky cup run aside), as a football team and a club if we are picked up by a wealthy "benefactor" or are able to build a team based on developed home grown talent. I would rather the latter, than adopt a business strategy which, in efffect, continuously prostitutes the club to the highest bidder. It is time for the club to draw a line in the sand, take the lead and build a team around our talented group of young players. This should start now with keeping Richards, without regard to the size of any bid.
True Blue, Sturridhe had been injured for up to six weeks. He played his part in the reservegame last Thursday, but to me he did not look like a player with enough quality for 1stt eam football ... yet. No wonder after a six week lay-off. Im sure Pearce will give him a chance if hes up to it. He did it with Ireland, Onuoha and Richards, only for the last one to gain a regular place as Richards was so far the only one to perform constantly on a high level. We have very talanted youngsters, but to go on about Sturridge is at this moment not realistic.