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Academy Departures Signal Change

There has been considerable criticism of the Arsenal Academy of late, especially in the wake of the decision to let 15 youngsters leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of next month, bringing into question the role of the Academy and the success, or, in the opinion of some, lack of it in recent years.

It is certainly true that there is much to do with the Academy that needs improvement. The preference for signing players from abroad at the age of 16 and deploying them almost instantly in the U21 set-up, often at the expense of home-grown products, grates somewhat, as does the fact that many of those let go this summer have been on the club's books for far too long without ever threatening to make an impact into the first-team squad.

Despite this, however, the Academy still serves a vital role in the overall structure of Arsenal Football Club. Three members of what is largely considered to be the club's first-choice starting XI- Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Kieran Gibbs, can be classed as having progressed through the Academy, even though Szczesny and Gibbs joined the club at the ages of 16 and 14 respectively. Ashley Cole, meanwhile, despite the contempt with which he is held by Arsenal supporters now, was once widely referred to as the best left-back in the world, whilst also playing a key role in the club's various trophy successes in the early part of the last decade.

If Szczesny can be considered as an Academy graduate, then so too can Cesc Fabregas, who joined the club at the age of 16 before establishing himself in the starting line-up in the Premier League in his second season at the club. It is true that the success rate of Academy graduates could be improved, with over 150 players having come through the system since its reformation in 1997, and there is still an awful long way to go to match the success of Barcelona's La Masia or the famed Ajax Academy, but Arsenal are at least moving in the right direction following Terry Burton's elevation in the set-up.

The experienced coach is currently standing in for the outgoing Liam Brady as the club's Head of Youth Development and, in his short time in the role, Burton appears to have addressed many of Brady's wrongdoings, with the 60-year-old showing a welcome preference for technically-minded players and not being afraid to throw 16 and 17 year-olds in the U21 set-up.

Arsenal have also produced a plethora of players for other clubs, with Academy alumni scattered across England's top four divisions and abroad. These players have recouped the club much money in terms of sell-on fees, but the desire now will be to produce a greater number of players capable of making the grade at Arsenal.

Under Burton, the club could well achieve that objective in the not too distant future.

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