sportbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

'English Clubs Producing Better Youngsters Than German Clubs'

'English Clubs Producing Better Youngsters Than German Clubs'

Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson are tearing it up in Bundesliga and plenty of other English players are linked with moves to Germany.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

For a long time German football has been the envy of the world, not least in England, but according to Borussia Dortmund director Michael Zorc that is no longer the case.

You might have heard that England won the World Cup in 1966. There's a good chance it was long before you were born, heck it was even a long time before I was born, but it will still get mentioned within the first 30 seconds of any England game kicking off.

The next 52 years were not exactly great for the national team with just one semi final to speak of after, in 1990 when the Three Lions lost to Germany in the semi-finals.

Germany have won the World Cup three times since England managed it on home soil and they've constantly been the bane of the Three Lions side.

Because of England's near constant failures the FA have always been coming up with new plans to make football in this country work and make the national team better.

In the past that has included copying the German model but whatever is going on now is apparently working, according to Borussia Dortmund director Michael Zorc at least.

Speaking on Friday he said, "You know the English teams are reaching the finals of Under-17 [World Cup], Under-19 [European championships] compared to the German ones. It seems to me that they overtook us.

"Let's go back say five to 10 years there was a time that English clubs signed German players and had a team of scouts to do that. There was a lot of discussion here - 'It's all about money, it's too early for them to go from Germany to England'. But in the meantime we have the feeling that, yes, the education and development of youth players in the English academies is quite good, to be honest."

Sancho has been brilliant for Dortmund. Image: PA Images
Sancho has been brilliant for Dortmund. Image: PA Images

Dortmund have reaped the rewards with Jadon Sancho moving at the beginning of last season from Manchester City for £8 million.

The winger has become a fixture in the Bundesliga leaders' first team and has even made his debut for Gareth Southgate's team.

Reiss Nelson has also shone on loan from Arsenal and Hoffenheim whilst Bayern Munich were desperate to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea in January, despite his lack of experience.

Hudson-Odoi could be the next Englishman to move to Germany. Image: PA Images
Hudson-Odoi could be the next Englishman to move to Germany. Image: PA Images

Speaking about the structure at English clubs Zorc added, "The [English] teams don't only spend much money on transfers or salaries but also on infrastructure. When you see these youth academies - for example Man City - you can't compare it with the German standard. It's much higher, much higher.

"And also it seems to me that it's something like a business model for them because even if they don't succeed in their own teams they sell them for higher prices. I just read a figure of Man City - I think they've sold young players for more than €150 million within the last three to five years."

Last summer it was England who impressed at the World Cup, reaching the semi-finals, whilst holders Germany were knocked out in the Group Stages.

Have things really turned around for the Three Lions?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Football News, German Football, English Football, Premier League, England, Borussia Dortmund, Germany, Jadon Sancho, Bundesliga