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Why Chelsea’s Defensive Future Looks so Bright with Jake Clarke-Salter
- Updated: April 21, 2016
Chelsea’s youth team have achieved more in the past seven years than some clubs’ setups have in their entire existence. Seven straight FA Youth Cup semi-finals, four wins of the trophy itself, a runner-up spot in the 2013 NextGen series and UEFA Youth League victories in 2015 and 2016 paint a true story of overwhelming success.
The reasons for how and why this has been achieved are plentiful, with excellent local recruitment, funds pumped into facilities, and the best teenage talents plucked from around the world all playing a significant part. Club owner Roman Abramovich has laid the foundations for brilliance and has been duly rewarded.
But another big factor—particularly over the last three seasons—has been the “crutches” the Blues have leaned on; the constants in the team who have been there for multiple trophy runs and can guide the new inductees through. Typically, clubs endure high turnovers of players in every age group, but Chelsea have been able to welcome back a “core” each year since 2014 at least.
There are two reasons for that: First, former manager Jose Mourinho barely called upon his youth sector, so—unlike Manchester United’s current situation—the age groups were not shifting constantly because the first-team had need of the youth team’s best players. And second: youth coaches Adi Viveash and Joe Edwards blooded some players extremely early, introducing 15- and 16-year-olds to the under-18 level. They’ve been round the block a few times and they’ve been anchoring this team for a while.
One of those players is 18-year-old Jake Clarke-Salter, current captain of the under-21 setup. He’s played a major role in the Chelsea youths’ recent escapades, hauling in the FA Youth Cup in 2014 and 2015, as well as the UEFA Youth League last year. He entered the under-18 team at 16 years of age and has progressed quickly, and recently made his senior bow as a substitute against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
When he first entered the team, he was hugely overshadowed by Andreas Christensen. The two formed a strong centre-back pairing, but all the attention was on the Dane, as allegations over his supposed £20,000-per-week …
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