'Hard to keep young talent' admits Blues boss

Feb 2 2012 By Greg Burns

Kadeem Harris

SELLING young talent to balance the books is an unfortunate reality for clubs like Wycombe, according to boss Gary Waddock.

Wanderers fans saw Premier League chasing Cardiff fork out £300,000 to snap up 18-year-old Kadeem Harris (pictured) on Monday a month after Blues agreed to sell 16-year-old Jordon Ibe to Liverpool in a deal which could rake in up to £1m in future add-ons.

Waddock is no stranger to seeing his young prospects being poached after Matt Phillips left for Blackpool on the last day of the August transfer window in 2010.

Frustrated fans have hit out at the club for being unable to benefit from their young talent but the Blues boss insists it is unavoidable when the big-boys come calling with their cheque books at the ready.

“Are we a selling club?" said Waddock. "We have sold a couple of players recently – if you look at Matty Phillips as well – and when offers come along and opportunities come along for players like that then what can you do?

“You have to balance the books also, especially in this financial climate. Jordon wasn't under contract at all and Kadeem was out of contract in the summer so both could have gone for close to nothing in reality but we managed to deal good deals for them.”

That very point raises an interesting debate at Adams Park and among all lower league clubs who spend years helping develop kids from a young age.