Quote: M@islebugs "What's been the point of developing him then? It's worse than a waste of money in that we're improving our competitors and further ensuring we can't compete with them. I understand players leaving amid financial chaos - it's gutting but it happens. But if we cannot compete for our youth players at age 20, and who will not be considered first choice 17 at any SL club, then we need to shut the academy now. Were he 22/3 and going into a good side's 21 man squad fair enough - but he isn't.'"
Give over. We're a part time side, if any player is given the chance to go full time and they want to take it then there is nothing we can do about that. The same goes for any other side in the same situation. It happens in all facets of sport.
That doesn't mean we should just throw the toys out of the pram and 'shut the academy now' as you suggest. One quick glance at all of our homegrown players in our current squad should tell you why that would be a terrible idea.
Some players will leave, that is unavoidable. But not all of them, and it will always be more beneficial to develop your own players rather than pay fees to bring them in from elsewhere.