…I watched lots of the Youth teams (home and away) during the Osman era. He was a genius of a footballer, his size was the only doubting factor but he was destined to come through. He went on loan because he had a serious injury at a key stage in his development (as did Barkley).
You can only introduce youngsters who are good enough. it’s a bit of a nothing statement to say ‘give youth a chance’. Moyes was a prolific watcher of football, I often wondered how he got his wife pregnant.
You and I started watching in the 60s when the world was a smaller & different place. Tommy Wright, Brian Labone, John Hurst & Jimmy Husband et al came through the ranks (the latter two were FA Youth Cup winners in 1965). Those days there were no foreign imports, kids played footy until it went dark.
We’ve had plenty since (Hibbert, Osman, Jeffers, Dunne, Cadamarteri FA Youth Cup winners, Rooney a runner-up) but I think the talent is more difficult to unearth. If they are good enough at Everton they will get a chance but they have to be very special.