Chelsea have a different “mentality and approach” to their academy structure than rivals Tottenham.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Saul Isaksson-Hurst, a long-standing
former Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal coach of 18 years and who now runs his own business coaching Premier League stars, claimed the Blues’ youth set-up was a “step up” from the Lilywhites’.
Chelsea have produced swathes of talented academy players in the last 10 years including Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Dominic Solanke – all of whom made their senior debuts at the Stamford Bridge club and have become established top-flight stars.
Spurs too have produced quality young talent, but Isaksson-Hurst noted Chelsea’s significant difference in mindset and their desire to become the “best academy in the world”.
Chelsea academy mentality was a huge “step up” from Tottenham
Isaksson-Hurst, who was a youth coach at Tottenham between 2006 and 2012 before leaving to join Chelsea for four years, was adamant that the Blues’ “aggressive” philosophy made them a superior academy.
“Chelsea were the biggest and best in England at the time in terms of investment and their approach.
“They talked about everything being world-class in planning and preparation.
“There was that step up in their mentality and approach.
“Maybe now Man City have tried to emulate that in the last 10 years – those guys have been very strong in terms of academy football in England.
“I always talk about how Tottenham had an amazing academy, but there was a slight difference in terms of Chelsea’s mindset – they wanted to be the best academy in the world.
“In terms of Chelsea’s recruitment process, you see that in their players.
“They are very aggressive in recruitment and dominate it.”
