Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Manchester City to produce 'incredible' English talent - Vincent Kompany

Vincent Kompany believes Manchester City's new £200 million training complex will help England have the strongest team in international football.

England only took one point in last summer's World Cup as they went out at the group stage and City, who have fielded all-foreign teams at times in manager Manuel Pellegrini's reign, have been criticised for failing to produce a player who became a first-team regular since Micah Richards.

But they opened the state-of-the-art Etihad Campus in December and saw their under-18 team reach the FA Youth Cup final.

And first-team captain Kompany is convinced that the level of investment will transform both City and England, whose current crop of players are often deemed less gifted than the 'Golden Generation'.

"English teams have had a bit of a setback in recent years in terms of quality," Kompany told reporters

"But England will catch up because they have more funds than any other country. Developments like the academy at City will eventually produce incredible talent."

Chelsea, who have won the FA Youth Cup four times in six seasons, have also spent heavily on youth development.

And Belgium captain Kompany added: "Other clubs are also spending lots of money to develop their own talent, but it does take time to come through.

"I think there will be a day when England have the best league in the world and the best national team because they will have the most money and the best facilities."

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