Manchester City fans in the Transfer Tavern are reacting in various ways to strong claims from one of their former players.
According to former Manchester City striker Devante Cole, foreign youngsters are receiving better treatment at City’s academy while home-grown talent is being ignored.
A report from Sky Sports explained how Cole felt he never had a chance of making it at the Etihad, despite City’s expensive academy set-up and a published ambition to ‘secure our future as one of the world’s leading football clubs by investing in the development of young talent’.
The 20-year-old professional footballer, son of former England striker Andy Cole, left City in the summer after making no appearances for the club and has since signed for League One side Bradford City.
“I had a choice, them or [Manchester] United. I picked City because I enjoyed it more and it was the best place for youngsters.”
“Then they got their money and everything changed straight away. They started buying foreign boys for the academy and all the English lads got pushed to one side. As you got older, you realised you wouldn’t get a chance of progressing no matter what you did.
“Some players were picked regardless of form because they’d had millions of pounds spent on them. It wasn’t fair on the ones who’d come through the ranks.”
However frustrating his time at Manchester City was, he hasn’t let that affect his form at Valley Parade, making 9 appearances and netting 5 goals for The Bantams so far this season.
City fans, do you think that your club should be doing more to nurture home-grown youngsters into the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
