West Brom must ‘enhance the offering’ to young players – Ron Gourlay
West Brom have seen a number of highly-talented youngsters leave the club early in recent years in favour of trying their hand elsewhere.
Just last week, the Baggies said goodbye to 16-year-old starlet Leo Cardoso who headed to Chelsea (before their sanctions were put in place today).
Previously, Morgan Rogers has left The Hawthorns to join Manchester City while Tim Iroegbunam, Finley Thorndike and Finn Azaz have all left the club for Midlands rivals Aston Villa too.
Albion Cheif Executive Ron Gourlay has outlined what needs to be done to prevent such occurrences from happening at such regularity.
“We have to enhance the offering we have here,” he said, as quoted by the Express and Star. “They have got to be able to see a pathway.
“We have got to be able to demonstrate to parents there is an opportunity there to come through the ranks.
“I spent 10 years at Chelsea. It’s a magnificent club with magnificent facilities and it’s the same with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City.
“It’s always going to be a challenge when one of the big boys comes in, but we have to demonstrate when you look at those academies, there is a better chance of coming through at West Bromwich Albion.”
Too late for Cleary
Whatever changes Gourlay might look to put in place won’t come in time for the Baggies’ most promising prospect right now.
Reyes Cleary is banging in the goals at youth level having scored 30 times for Albion’s Under-23s and Under-18s this season.
The 17-year-old has been attracting interest from a host of clubs from the Premier League swarm to sign him for just a compensation fee this summer [Daily Mail].
His rejection of any contract the Baggies put in front of him highlights a big problem at the club as he would have surely been given a first-team chance already at any other side.
That is what is most frustrating in Cleary’s case because if he had been given chances at senior level, he might have been tempted to sign on the dotted line knowing he could make a name for himself at The Hawthorns.
In other West Brom news, this midfielder is a doubt for tomorrow night’s game against Huddersfield because of a “niggle”.
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