Improvements of a football academy should be measured in decades, not months, and anybody who is measuring the talent factory at Finch Farm will know Everton’s has been broken for a long time.
The success of a good academy system relies on doing four key aspects correctly.
- Recruitment at pre-academy ages and retention of players
- Development from academy standard into pro standard
- Retention at scholarship and pro contract stage
- Progression into the first team or sold for a good fee
In the past few years Everton have failed at every stage. Farhad Moshiri’s vandalism to Everton’s academy saw it decline to a ‘hybrid’ model instead of a full time academy. That limited the distance Everton could recruit from (1) and reduced the hours coaches had with the players (2).
Kevin Thelwell and Dan Purdy also argued strongly for a proper training facility for academy players (2) but Everton’s financial situation meant this did not happen.
Everton also lost players to better academies (3). Emilio Lawrence moved to Manchester City at scholarshop stage, while Isaac Price, Thierry Small, Ishe Samuels-Smith and Mohamed Ali-Cho all left Everton after rejecting contracts to seek first team football elsewhere.
At stage 4, Everton have long struggled to progress players to the first team. For every Anthony Gordon there have been tens of players who have flirted with the first team bench before disappearing down the leagues for minimal fees.
Nathan Broadhead and Charlie Whittaker were once touted for first team football, while the likes of Reece Welch and Tyler Onyango were still playing for the u21s well into their 20s after a series of awful loans. Welch in particular was sent to Forest Green under Troy Deeney followed by a Belgian club that went bankrupt part-way through his time there.
In recent years Everton have at least secured good fees for Ellis Simms and Tom Cannon and this needs to be the template for players who may not be Premier League ready but can bolster the club’s finances.
Green shoots
Since taking over in December 2024 the Friedkin Group have been actively trying to improve Everton’s academy recruitment. Competing with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool’s academies is not easy but Everton have placed adverts for casual scouts for ages as young as eight.
The role said: “As Pre-Academy Recruitment Lead you will play a key role in identifying and recruiting the best possible U8 players each season for the Club and will be instrumental in creating a world-class experience for both players and parents within our Pre-Academy, focusing on identifying & retaining high-potential players in the U5-U8 phase.”
Recruitment is definitely improving. Everton signed highly-rated England u15 goalkeeper Ruben Savvas from Liverpool this summer in a move that is seen by a coup. At u18 level, Everton have recruited excellently in recent years. Striker Cieran Loney arrived from Partick Thistle and scored in the opening u18 game of the season this year. Ahead of him Braiden Graham secured his first Northern Ireland u21 call up after starring for the u21s, while Justin Clarke arrived from Wimbledon last year and has already appeared for the first team in a friendly this summer.
Highly rated defender Reuben Gokah, an England u17 international, joined this year from Charlton and fellow centre half John Dodds has also arrived from Hearts to bolster the academy ranks.
Everton have also hired Nick Chadwick to work with academy youngsters to help their development on and off the pitch – which will help the development of academy players, or point 2 in the list.
The biggest step forward in Everton’s academy setup comes in at point 3 – retention at scholarship and pro contract stage.
Players can sign a scholarship contract at 16 and each year the club announces a host of new scholars. This year’s intake includes Malik Olayiwala, who made his England u17 debut in a 2-1 victory over Venezuela this week. Capable of playing on the wing or in attacking midfield, he is one of the hottest prospects in the academy system.
Everton have been more aggressive in promoting talented youngsters into the u18s. Jon Nsangou, a 15-year-old with a bright future ahead of him, earned game time last year and even netted a hat trick for the higher age group. He has been included on trips to Dubai and Bermuda and it is clear the club is showing him there is a pathway if he signs a scholarship deal next year.
At higher age groups Everton are also being more proactive in securing talented youngsters to pro contracts. Scholarships usually last two years and at 18 a player can be offered a pro deal but it is possible to offer it early at just 17.
Everton did just that with Harrison Armstrong, Braiden Graham, Justin Clarke and promising goalkeeper Douglass Lukjanciks, who was called up to the England u19 squad this week. All signed a contract almost immediately after turning 17 in order to prevent a Thierry Small or Isaac Price situation where the player was able to walk away for a minimal fee.
And then we reach point 4 – progression into the first team.
This step is the most difficult and it is the one that Everton have failed at for a long time. Thankfully, Everton under new Technical Director Nick Cox, who comes from Manchester United where that pathway is very open, are also recruiting here.
The job advert says the new coach’s role will be: “Supporting the Club Pathway Mission to produce Academy Graduates for Everton FC and ensuring positive outcomes for all our people, you will work closely with players within the Professional Development Phase (PDP) to provide structure and coordination of activities aimed at preparing players to progress to the 1st team environment.”
Loans are key. This year Martin Sherif has a good loan at Rotherham in League One. If he scores a hatful -and he netted and impressed on his debut – then next year it can be a Championship loan. If he continues to progress first team football awaits but if he stalls we’re already looking at a player who will be on the radar of Championship clubs. A good sale would await with a sell on that could net Everton further income.
Harrison Armstrong is already on loan in the Championship and how the club handles him will be a big indicator of whether Everton are truly transforming their pathways under the Friedkin Group.
The signs are there. Everton fans will need to be patient but slowly and surely the academy, u21s and first team pathways are improving after the damage done by the Moshiri regime.