With the advent of Roman's roubles, Chelsea might be able to afford to buy any player they want - but a training scheme in Billericay could be providing them with their next generation of stars.

The PASS soccer school, which runs two sessions a week at Hannakins Farm, has been adopted by the Premier-ship giants and is already supplying youngsters to the club's academy.

Canvey Island striker Ollie Berquez is running the show and he is enthusiastic about the way the school has developed.

He is also confident that working with young players will remain a vital part of Chelsea's long-term future, despite all their wealth.

"Just because they've got a lot of money doesn't mean they can afford to ignore the youth," said Berquez. "That's the future of your football.

"This area - Essex and into East London - has produced so many great players and we are looking for the John Terrys or the David Beckhams of the future."

One of the biggest criticisms of youth football has been a lack of development of technical skills in young players, especially when compared with the ball-playing culture developed on the continent. Berquez and his colleagues are determined to help reverse that trend.

"We don't just have them running around doing fitness work," he said. "You have to have the ball skills as well and learn all the technical stuff."

Published Wednesday April 7, 2004

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