This image is a derivative of Chelsea FC Stadium Viewing by JC (CC BY 2.0)

“You can’t win anything with kids”

These were the words famously uttered by former Liverpool star striker Alan Hansen on 'Match Of The Day' in 1995. 

While this statement is both illuminating and disingenuous at the same time, the notion that a player ‘needs experience’ at the top level is an eternal sports query. 

For Hansen however, he’d be wise to take particular note of Cobham, Chelsea’s famous academy which has supercharged and awakened a European giant. 

As a result of Chelsea’s transfer ban in 2019, Cobham’s importance was magnified, shunting the likes of Mason Mount, Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus Cheek, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Andreas Christensen into key first-team roles and at a time of their career when many would have assumed they weren’t ready. 

These players have since taken their games to a whole new levels, playing integral roles in Chelsea’s recent Champions League title while forming the nucleus of this season’s EPL push. 

In Chelsea’s case, it’s quite clear that you can win with kids. And where kids are concerned, Chelsea are operating on another level with academy graduate and Crystal Palace loanee Conor Gallagher’s netting a weekend brace, continuing a remarkable season which will inspire even more fear into Chelsea’s rivals both present and future. 

Let’s take a closer look at what makes the Chelsea academy so unique as well as Cobham’s standing within the broader football universe. 

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What is a youth academy and why is it so important? 

Firstly, before detailing Cobham and its particular excellence, let’s examine what a youth academy actually is and why it can be so important.

In Europe, football club academies can start from as young as under9’s, which is indeed the case where Chelsea is concerned. Unlike at other clubs where fees are very much associated with participation within academies Chelsea’s academy operates where applicants must first trial before being accepted. Alternatively, youngsters can be scouted from another club and asked to join. 

However, in the brutal industry that is football an academy product can be cut at any time, with many kids who played as early teenagers not making it at senior level. 

Under 15 level is where clubs pay heavy attention to the prospects they have available, and how each can improve it. For example - Chelsea bought a 15-year-old Billy Gilmour for 500 thousand pounds to play for the academy. Thus, as players progress and get older they have more of a chance to play for the senior team or go out on loan until they find a place at another club. 

Chelsea’s approach to its academy is very important, particularly within the context of English football. 

Firstly, it builds important continuity and friendship amongst the squad. You only need to look at the bond that the aforementioned 7 academy graduates have to see how it can increase performance and team success. Secondly, it makes for a very good avenue for profit. Chelsea has sold Cobham products Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori for a combined 68 million pounds after securing them at no cost and at a young age. The Chelsea approach also breeds suitable English talent to fill Premier League quotas while also benefitting the national team on the international stage.

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What makes Chelsea’s so special?

While the academy is a team which breeds both team success and friendship among cohorts, each player is an individual with unique talents. 

And a core identity of Cobham is catering to individual identity and making sure that’s promoted at every opportunity. Callum-Hudson Odio is a perfect example of this. He’s a tricky winger with incredibly close control with the ball at his feet. The Chelsea coaches looked at that and coached towards it and which has flourished lately, this season having the second most carries that lead to a key pass this with 14. Reece James - the adventurous wing-back who can physically dominate his opposition, thanks in large part to the coaching from the academy, has led him to have 3.30 shot-creating actions from live passes this season- the most of any fullback in the League. Then there’s Mason Mount, the unassuming yet very intelligent midfielder who has elevated his game leaps and bounds in recent weeks and has received the most amount of progressive passes from any midfielders this season with 7.45 per 90.

As well as this, all three players have shown that they are more than adept at playing multiple positions, for multiple managers under different systems. 

Chelsea are extracting the most out of this young talent whole refusing to pigeonhole them into any specific positions or systems the likes of which tends to inhibit growth and sap confidence. Achieving such impeccable results with their youth while maintaining a solid on-field bond and connection between players is another testament to how well-rounded the coaching is at Cobham.

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The Loan System

Another very key aspect, and somewhat controversial feature of Cobham is the loan system. Chelsea often brings in young players only for them to be shoved into a loan cycle. These players rarely secure a first team spot and careers can often fade into obscurity. Take Charly Musonda for example. Once a very promising youngster signed for Chelsea in 2016 he’s only made 3 first team appearances while spending six years on loan, making a paltry 32 appearances in that time. He’ll finally let his contract expire at the end of this season, and by that time, Musonda will be 26-years old and with his career prospects in some jeopardy. 

At the same time, a player like Mason Mount is a perfect example of someone who’s reaped the benefits of a loan spell, achieving success overseas with Vitesse while getting vital experience within England as well at Derby. These spells helped formed the player he is today and has contributed heavily to his increasing brilliance. 

The sheer variety of the talent coming through Chelsea academy shows just how the development over the recent years has paid off. 

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Who else in the world compares?

Each academy is different. 

Barcelona’s La Masia is very stringent in the way they coach and breed their players. Very few go out on loan (unlike at Chelsea) and they are trusted into the first team early in their careers. 

However, after their golden generation in the mid-2000s, Barcelona have struggled to produce consistent, high-quality players. With that said, the likes of Pedri, Nico Gonzalez, Ansu Fati, Óscar Mingueza, Gavi and Alejandro Balde would suggest the famous Catalan club might just be on the verge of another golden generation. 

In the Netherlands, Ajax has produced top-quality players over numerous generations. With the likes of Johan Cruyff, Frank Rijkaard and Dennis Bergkamp just to name a few from the older generation, and Donny van de Beek, Sergiño Dest and Christian Eriksen from the recent crop. They take a similar approach to that of Chelsea insofar as they're happy to host graduates with vastly different different playing styles and who can dominate games in different ways. 

While Manchester United have enjoyed nowhere near the success of Chelsea in recent times their academy has been famous for producing one of the most extraordinary crops of all time releasing the likes of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, and Paul Scholes upon the football world. While they've struggled to replicate those riches, recent graduates such as Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood speak to one of England's best breeding grounds outside of Chelsea.

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