Burnley’s rise from the ashes after the Boxing Day disaster against Everton has been nothing short of remarkable. Sean Dyche’s men looked bereft of ideas and their hopes for survival were beginning to look bleak. Their reversal of fortunes came down to a number of factors. Tom Heaton restored a calmness to the defence and Phil Bardsley brought back a steeliness. However, the emergence of the young Dwight McNeil brought a collective exuberance to the team that revitalised the Clarets as an attacking force.
McNeil hadn’t started a Premier League match for the Clarets until the back-end of December but has since been a virtual ever-present member of the first 11, notching three goals and five assists. His rise has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Dwight McNeil Shows the Importance of In-House Talent
Big-Money Man
For a club like Burnley, trusting in this talent could help bridge the financial challenges of the transfer market. A talent like McNeil, if he keeps up his impressive form, could potentially cost a club upwards of £40 million. The figure may seem a tad astronomical but he has so much potential to really excel. His pace and trickery leaves defenders quaking in their boots and his end product is particularly good for someone who is still developing that side of his game. Couple this in with the homegrown criteria and it’s no wonder that 19-year-old already has his suitors.
It is very important for a club like Burnley to keep hold of McNeil for at least another season. Not just because he is a player of immense quality but because of the happiness that he brings to the fan-base. Nobody from the academy has truly broken onto the scene like this since Jay Rodriguez and the West Bromwich Albion striker remains adored by the Burnley faithful. However, McNeil’s excellence may serve as an inspiration for other young Clarets who are pushing to make the grade.
Other Candidates
Dan Agyei has impressed watchers of the U23’s. The attacker has looked a handful whilst on loan spells with Coventry and Walsall. He is a strong and powerful presence that very much fits the description of a Dyche centre-forward. Agyei may be raw but fans would rather see opportunities given to him over the ageing Peter Crouch.
Likewise, Aiden O’Neil was on the cusp of the first-team a few seasons ago but felt the need to return to Australia, on loan, for personal reasons. Again, he is another name who may come back refreshed and ready to make an impression.
Nobody is naive enough to believe that every academy product will make the impact that McNeil has so it is important to cherish him while he is here. Football clubs have become saturated with money, often splashing it aimlessly. That can take the soul out of football teams. Fulham are a prime example of that this season.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
On the other hand, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been a revelation at Crystal Palace after his manager, Roy Hodgson, threw him into the first-team at the start of the season. The then 20-year-old academy graduate has not looked back. There is a real eagerness to keep Wan-Bissaka because of what he represents but, even if they cannot, his valuation is believed to be in excess of £40 million and that gives Palace a substantial windfall. Still, it would be difficult to replace his symbol and affiliation with the supporters as one of their own.
The academy product is a dying art but there are fleeting examples that show it is still there. Clubs like Burnley and Palace must idolise their in-house stars before circling vultures inevitably make their swoop.
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