There has been plenty of talk in the last week of the introduction of Premier League B teams – but this stat from Richard Jolly suggests that the EFL provides a suitable platform for the development of top-level talent.
Manchester City chief Ferran Soriano was quoted by the Guardian earlier in the week insinuating that the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to the introduction of Premier League B sides competing in lower leagues,
City have one of the greatest academies in the world, both in terms of the facilities and talent they possess. It is, though, rather out of touch to suggest that’s what’s needed in a time of financial difficulty for lower league teams is yet another leg-up for cash-rich Premier League giants.
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There also seems to be no real need for the introduction of B teams. The lower divisions in the EFL are developing future English talent for both Premier League sides and the England national team.
That’s proven by the below stat, shared by Richard Jolly on Twitter last night.
England’s starting 11 have made more appearances in the Football League (1010) than the Premier League (928). https://t.co/PYMJIqqFIZ
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) October 8, 2020
Every player in the starting eleven last night, bar Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Tripper, currently plays their football in England’s top tier, but were born and bred in the country’s lower divisions.
Now is not a time to kick dirt on the struggling EFL teams – they need support. Premier League teams ought to recognise the purpose they serve and help them in any way possible.