OM COVETED PLACES AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL TO TRAINING SSIONS WATCHED BY PEP, THE ETIHAD ACADEMY RUNS E CLOCKWORK... AND THEY LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE

ANCHESTER was the birthplace e Industrial Revolution, a cturing heartland built on cotton, als and coal. 80-acre swathe of land that was once dyemaker Charles Dreyfus’ Clayton Company, there now stands a on line with a difference. me to Manchester City’s Football

ity Football Academy – to coin its tle – is a £200million state-of-the-art in which Pep Guardiola’s squad hone ertise alongside more than 450 young keen to snatch the sky-blue shirts stars’ backs. 21 months since it opened, players Kelechi Iheanacho, Manu Garcia, elina, Angelino, Cameron Humphreys, rcia, Tosin Adarabioyo, David Faupala, n Barker, Pablo Maffeo and Brahim ve all made their first-team debuts. the coming years, City expect that f talent to become a torrent. Wilcox, promoted to head of Academy g when Guardiola ( below) drafted Borrell into his backroom staff, isn’t exaggeration. ed by City at 13, Wilcox had the talent a playing career that realised a Premier itle medal and three England caps. uring an interview at the CFA, the ent in his voice was unmistakable. ot someone who gets carried away, ve never seen anything like the talent at this Academy,” said Wilcox. ave got kids here who are at a level ust mind-blowing. It makes me hope m working here for the next 10 years. want Pep Guardiola to be spoilt for and we are getting there.” eason, City’s Academy teams lifted no an 15 trophies – from Under-10 to 8 level. were also runners-up to Chelsea for a uccessive campaign in the FA Youth one memorable weekend, when City als Manchester United across all age , the Blues came out on top in every , apart from one, which was drawn. obin van Persie sent his son to train h City, as did Phil Neville. arren Fletcher’s two boys are conced in the Academy this year, as as Emile Heskey’s son. lcox said: “Our aim is to have a first- team squad packed with players from our Academy. Not only that, it would also be great to get some Mancunian blood into the team.”

Already around two-thirds of players attached to the Academy are from the Manchester area.

Tommy Doyle, a gifted 14-year-old midfielder, is the grandson of ex-City captain Mike Doyle. His other grandad, Glyn Pardoe, is the youngest player to wear the blue shirt at 15 years and 314 days.

Former striker Uwe Rosler’s son Colin – named after the legendary Colin