In light of two Manchester City Academy Graduates scoring goals for England's senior side yesterday, one for the Republic of Ireland and another for Stuart Pearce's England Under 21s on Friday, City's Academy Manager, Jim Cassell has told the Sunday Mirror...
'Our kids are as good as ever'

The man who discovered Micah Richards, Shaun Wright-Phillips and 21 other players for Manchester City insists there is no shortage of football talent in England.

Jim Cassell, the director of City's widely-envied Academy, believes the flood of foreign mercenaries into the Premier League is hindering the development of home-grown players - and ultimately the England team.

But Cassell cannot understand why clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea import youngsters to fill their youth and reserve teams when he is proving that there is a wealth of talent much closer to home.

"England hasn't suddenly become a nation that can't produce good footballers," said Cassell, who has just five foreign players among 160 kids at City's Platt Lane complex hoping to follow stars like Richards.

"But the problem for managers of English clubs is that they usually last two or three years in one job and they want players for here and now rather than five years' time. I'm not against foreign players. Someone like Thierry Henry can only be good for the game, but when you see clubs importing players who aren't of the highest standard, that wastes money that would have been better spent on developing young players, and it limits opportunities for those coming through.

"The big worry for me is that clubs are starting to bring in lads from abroad to develop at the detriment of the British and Irish players who have traditionally been our lifeblood.

"Our policy is to concentrate our efforts in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales - and in particular around the Manchester and North West area."

Cassell added: "The messages I've had from Sven Goran Eriksson and the club's new owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, is that they fully support what we are trying to do.

"Sven couldn't believe the amount of young talent we had and while the chairman wants to expand City's brand by developing Academies around the world, he has assured us it will not be to the detriment of home-grown players."