Leeds United jump into top 10 of nationwide academy rankings
Leeds United have put a lot of work into their academy at Thorp Arch in recent years and it is starting to pay off to great effect.
In the Training Ground Guru’s latest rankings for the 2021-22 season, the Whites have catapulted themselves up to eighth position among the top four divisions of English football.
The previous season had Leeds down in 16th place so to jump up eight spots, and have a 50% gain in the process, is a huge achievement.
Chelsea lead the way for the first time, fractionally ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal who are well clear of Manchester City in fourth.
Everton and West Ham have just edged Leeds United out but the Whites are ahead of Liverpool who sit 10th with League Two side Crewe Alexandra in between the two Premier League outfits.
Leeds have been helped by a number of homegrown players turning out for their own senior team which carries a bigger weight than those who came from the Thorp Arch academy to other senior teams lower down the pyramid.
Worthwhile
Andrea Radrizzani has invested plenty into the facilities at Thorp Arch to try and make Leeds United a sustainable club that can produce its own talents rather than having to buy from elsewhere all the time.
No team can function purely on academy graduates, of course, but if they can produce a handful of top players then it allows room for more to be spent on other positions which will improve the team overall.
The rankings also only take into account English players which might skew some results for the top teams but that won’t be a problem for Leeds having produced Kalvin Phillips among others over the past few seasons.
Jamie Shackleton, Charlie Cresswell and Cody Drameh will all count towards this tally and the teenagers signed from elsewhere such as Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood could also count towards the total in the future.
Every football club wants a crop of youngsters so talented it takes the club onto the next level and Leeds are putting themselves into a position where they could do just that with the right group of people.
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