Morling: Academy success down to Bloom's backing

The continued backing by Albion chairman Tony Bloom and the board is the reason behind the academy's continued success, according to academy manager John Morling.

The club’s development set-up has been praised after graduates Ben White and Robert Sanchez were called up for international duty for England and Spain respectively.

Morling said, “Without the investment that’s been put into the academy, there is absolutely no chance that we would have had the success we’ve had in recent years.

“It’s more than just a one-off investment, it’s a long term commitment that the board have made. It takes time for players to develop. Ben White is seven years of work and he’s just played his first year in the Premier League.

“People like Max Sanders, Warren O’Hora and George Cox are all success stories, they have a professional career in football away from Brighton. There’s lots of ways to measure success.”

Morling sees each investment the club makes in youth players as an opportunity that can pay off in the long-term.

“If players sign for free or if you’ve got to pay some compensation, it costs the academy a lot. Tony and the board have to fund the academy which isn’t cheap. However, whatever they put in, we aim to match or beat that investment – whether that’s players in our first team or those who join another club.

“If you look at the players in the first team the players who are out on loan starting their careers in the EFL, so that’s a serious return on investment. Once they reach the first team the academy’s work is complete and we move onto the next one.

“Of course our staff keep close tabs on their progress, but we have to constantly move forward. We’ve got to make sure every age group is as strong as possible, so the Ben Whites and Robert Sanchezs of the future get the best opportunity to fulfil their potential. That’s where we work as a team.”