When a new transfer name is mentioned, there is always a section of the Chelsea fan base that asks “What about the youth?” with an expletive or two. How do Chelsea’s managers compare on minutes for young players?
After recent bouts of questions on opportunities for Chelsea’s youth, Antonio Conte talked about “the step.” It is the as-yet-unknown quality a young player is supposed to possess to earn playing time. “The step” is not just for Chelsea’s academy graduates: it extends to the young players Chelsea buys. Though they do not go through the academy, questions always surround a new transfer when there is a promising member of the loan army who is supposedly ready.
Some sectors of the Chelsea followers nod their head at this. Youth do not get to play simply because they are young. Others cried towards the heaven that yet another manager cared little for the talent coming up the ranks.
But how true is that? Is Conte the type of manager to give up on youth? How does he stack up against other Abramovich era managers?
A dive into TransferMarkt’s data helps create a picture. For the purpose of this exercise, only players who were 21 or younger when the season started will be considered.
In addition, if a player had more than 1,800 minutes professionally before joining Chelsea, they will not be counted. This avoids counting known qualities – such as Eden Hazard or Arjen Robben – in the same way as Ola Aina or Josh McEachran. Players that spent time on loan and played 1,800 or more minutes at another club before playing for Chelsea will be counted, but noted for their unique nature.
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And finally, due to Chelsea’s history of managerial change, there are several seasons where more than one manager was at the club. Split manager seasons, therefore, will be counted as its own unique entity.
It quickly becomes clear Antonio Conte favors players with some form of professional experience. Whether that is Ethan Ampadu at Exeter City or Andreas Christensen on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, the trend holds true.
These players who spent time on loan boost Conte’s numbers overall. As of Premier League matchweek 24, he averages 398.09 minutes per youth player. This is the best minute-per-player number since Carlo Ancelotti was at the club (413.5 minutes per player).
The only manager to come close to Ancelotti’s number is Jose Mourinho in his first stint with the club: 405.58 minutes per player. However, Mourinho’s extreme preference for Mikel John Obi places an asterisk on Mourinho MK 1.
Mikel had 2,330 minutes under Mourinho between 2004 and 2007. Not only does this make Mikel the most successful youth player brought in sight unseen, but it also boosts Mourinho’s numbers on his first stint. Without Mikel, Mourinho MK I’s minutes per player drops to 230.64.
That gulf truly increases when considering Mourinho MK II. The two full seasons Mourinho was in charge the second time offered a measly 98.88 minutes per youth player. Even Tomas Kalas, with nearly 7,000 minutes on loan beforehand, struggled under Mourinho’s second reign.
Strangely, seasons featuring two managers did surprisingly well in terms of youth playing. The Mourinho MK I / Avram Grant and the Luiz Felipe Scolari / Guus Hiddink seasons enjoy the big Mikel boost, which explains their numbers. But the Andre Villas Boas / Roberto Di Matteo season was surprisingly great for youth players.
Villas Boas came in with a mandate to phase out the aging spine of the team. His numbers point to the hill he died on. Oriol Romeu, Daniel Sturridge, and Ryan Bertrand all broke 1,000 minutes. Only Villas Boas’ sacking stopped or slowed the trend under Di Matteo’s time.
The Di Matteo / Rafael Benitez saw Romeu pick up where he left off, but injury cut his time short. Lucas Piazon and Nathan Ake were the only other players to get any chances.
So what does all this say about Conte? It says his record for using youth is better than many of his predecessors. His preference for experience is clear, but also benefits the club.
The club has built a strong academy in recent years. One of the world’s best. Concurrently, they have bought promising youth from around the world to loan out for experience. Fans and the club alike expect a manager to draw from both wells to bring youth into the club.
And no one has done better at that than Antonio Conte. Conte may not be the perfect manager for the youth, but he is far better at integrating the academy and the loan army than any manager before him. He is within touching distance of Ancelotti’s use of youth.
Counterpoint: Antonio Conte's obsession with winning is holding back youth
Eleven youth players have seen time during Conte’s season and a half, second only to the twelve Mourinho MK I had in three full seasons. Andreas Christensen has seen the bulk of the minutes, of course, but Conte has used the early stages of cups to give young players real and important minutes.
“The step” may seem great, but if a player makes it then Conte has shown he is willing to give them a chance. He will not, however, give throwaway minutes or play someone who is not ready. He will not use a sub in the 93rd minute for anyone, especially youth. The lowest amount of minutes any youth player has under Conte is Dujon Sterling with 15, and only two other players have fewer than 200 minutes.
Every new transfer is not an end to a youth’s chances, but a challenge. No youth starts for the sake of youth.
Finally, perhaps the biggest takeaway from this data is the longer a manager remains at the club, the more likely youth are brought through. Every sacking, whether at the end of the season or during, is a reset button for every unproven player. And the only way to keep a manager is if they are successful.
Next: Chelsea's all-time loan army hall of fame, shame, honour and infamy
Antonio Conte cares about winning. And he will only play a young player if he believes they will help with that cause. And the more Chelsea wins under Conte, the longer he stays, the more academy players break through and the more loan army players return to contribute. For Conte and Chelsea, these two points go hand in hand. Slipping on one causes both to fall.
Data viz by the inestimable Dan Clark.