Chelsea: Conor Gallagher hails 'mind-blowing' work of departing academy chiefs Neil Bath and Jim Fraser

Evening Standard

·4 July 2024

Chelsea: Conor Gallagher hails 'mind-blowing' work of departing academy chiefs Neil Bath and Jim Fraser

England midfielder is among a long list of high-profile players to have emerged from the Blues’ academy in recent years

Conor Gallagher has paid tribute to the “mind-blowing” work of Chelsea academy chiefs Neil Bath and Jim Fraser, with the pair both leaving the club.

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As a double-act, Bath, who was first appointed academy manager in 2004, and Fraser, who arrived at Cobham a year later, are credited with turning the Blues into English football’s most prolific talent factory over the past two decades.

Bath was made director of football development and operations in 2023, with Fraser promoted to head of youth development.

Gallagher, Reece James, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori are among the headline names to have emerged under the pair’s tutelage, while the Blues lifted the FA Youth Cup seven times in nine seasons between 2010 and 2018.

Academy product: Conor Gallagher rose through the youth ranks at Chelsea

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“I honestly can’t speak highly enough of Neil Bath and Jim Fraser,” Gallagher told talkSPORT. “I’ve not messaged them yet because I only found out this morning or last night. But yeah, I can’t speak highly enough.

“What they’ve done for Chelsea’s academy is mind-blowing. We’ve been the best academy over the last 15 years in terms of the trophies we’ve won and the players we’ve produced.

“A lot of credit to those two guys and I need to give them a message later because what they’ve done for me personally as well is amazing. I have to thank them for a lot of it.”

Gallagher was speaking at England’s Euro 2024 basecamp in Blankenhain, where final preparations are being made ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final meeting with Switzerland.

The midfielder was handed a first major tournament start in England’s final group game against Slovenia but was taken off at half-time and returned to the bench for the dramatic last-16 victory over Slovakia, before coming on to help Gareth Southgate’s side see out a 2-1 victory in extra time.

End of an era: Jim Fraser and Neil Bath are both leaving Chelsea this summer after decades of service

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“Obviously it’s not nice,” the 24-year-old said of his abrupt withdrawal against the Slovenians. “You want to play as much as possible and to get an opportunity to start a game for England at a major tournament is incredible.

“But it was a really difficult game, I don’t think we were particularly playing great or creating many chances.

“I understand the manager wanted to change a couple of things tactically and bringing on Kobbie [Mainoo] to come a bit deeper and get on the ball, progress the ball is completely understandable.

“What is great about the manager is that he came and told me before, before he told the team, so I knew and it was fine. Obviously, you want to play as much as possible but I completely understand.”