Cassell has been in Thailand this week to visit potential sites for the new MCFC Academy to be built in the country, and he says that this and the one to be set up in China represent a great opportunity for the Club.

"I think it's very exciting for the club," Jim states in an exclusive interview with MCFCTV.com. "Dr Thaksin has outlined his vision to all the departments at the club, and I think it's a fantastic opportunity to move into areas we never thought we would get into.

"We don't know the true benefits at this stage, but what we're all determined to do is make sure this project works how the club wants it to work."

As well as the undoubted success of the Club's youth policy on the pitch, which has seen 25 players break into the first team since 1999, Cassell is equally proud of the kind of person that the Academy has developed.

"We've always tried to build camaraderie here," he continues, "and it may be a cliche, but we want to build good people. Micah Richards dropped in at Platt Lane just a few days ago for a cup of tea and a chat, I think that speaks volumes for the way that everybody within the club operates.

"We're a family club, but we are a family club that wants success, we hope that all these new initiatives can take us forward to that success. The work ethic is here already, what we are looking for now is to put the icing on the cake."