Everton academy director reveals big influence on decision to join
Everton recently hired Gareth Prosser as the club’s new Academy director and the influences are already being felt across the board.
Lewis Warrington and Stanley Mills have both made their first team debuts for the Toffees while Reece Welch made his first start, all in the Carabao Cup against Fleetwood Town and there could be more on the horizon.
Prosser may have had other ventures that he could have considered before choosing Goodison Park but he revealed to the club’s website why he picked the Toffees.
“That [Lampard’s record] was another reason why this role at Everton was so exciting to me,” he said. “At Derby, Chelsea and here at Everton, he has that record of giving young players a chance.
“That’s what we want and we can ask for no more. Our job is to make sure Frank and his team are provided with players capable of, initially, performing in training – and then playing in the First Team and supporting the Club’s ambitions.”
Foundations
For every club in the world, the academy should be the base on which the first team are then built with the very best homegrown talents being played to allow a bigger percentage of cash to be spent on the other areas of the field.
Anthony Gordon’s sensational rise to stardom at Goodison Park has meant that the desperation for a new winger was not as prominent as it may have otherwise been but the rest of the squad is lacking in young, homegrown talent.
Warrington, Mills and Welch are just three of those in the Under-21s that could eventually go on to be stars but they aren’t quite at the level just yet and Prosser needs to direct the youth sides to start creating better players from an early age.
Everton could be in a far worse position than they are but it still isn’t ideal and with time it has to improve to take the financial pressure off the scouting team and Director of Football Kevin Thelwell.