"If the Premier League think we will produce English players and then lose them at the age of 16 – that's not happening.
Aston Villa will now, if it doesn't change, start to go into Europe to get players to develop. We have already met with the manager and the board of directors and talked about that. My job is to produce players for Aston Villa, not for Arsenal to pinch them. What is the point in developing players for eight or nine years only to then lose them cheaply? That will kill the game and it will kill development."
Pretty damning from Aston Villa's Head of Youth Development Bryan Jones. A statement I strongly agree with.
Why should a club like Villa, who have provided a record amount of players for England put up with such BS?
The case Jones is referring to is 16-year old Danny Crowley's acrimonious move to Arsenal for a piddly £200k (as is the amount necessary according to new EPPP guidelines.)
After spending countless time and resources over the years developing such a talent, Villa's argument is a valid one.
As anyone who know's me will know how much of a staunch supporter of the local youth systems I've been. And how much I have detested the influx of Johnny Foreigners in recent years.
The realization is, like Jones, my interest is solely in Aston Villa. Not England.
In the end though, if changes aren't made, fans may never see the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gary Cahill or Daniel Sturridge breaking through to grace the Premier League again.
