REWARDING, frustrating and demanding in equal measure.

Life for Blackburn Rovers’ new Academy manager Phil Cannon has certainly had its fair share of ups and downs over the last 15 years.

Theo Walcott’s Premier League return at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, ironically against Cannon’s new employers, will remind the former Everton youth supremo of the potential pitfalls – but he is confident he has plenty to look forward to in his Ewood Park future.

Walcott was just a 10-year-old when he was plucked away from Swindon Town by Southampton, for the measly compensation fee of £2,000, with Cannon himself then part of the County Ground youth set-up that first spotted the England winger.

Walcott went on to move to Arsenal for £12million, and become an integral part of England’s World Cup qualification with Cannon admitting Swindon’s return for their part in his development highlights the inequalities that still exist in the system.

He said: “I think it is always going to happen that top clubs will take the better players from lower clubs.

"Everton have just had to pay £600,000 for a boy from Leeds.

"But what would Everton have expected for Jack Rodwell at 16?

"It is difficult to gauge how far the boy is going to go at that age.

“There has to be a mechanism in place so that if a boy does really well and goes on and plays 500 games in the Premier League, that small club gets rewarded. It needs something like that.

“At that time you got £1,000 finder’s fee and £1,000 for each year you developed the player.

"He was 10 so to put clauses in there saying if he goes on to play for England and he goes on to be transferred for £9million is obscene.

"But that’s how far the authorities should go back to reward the smaller club, and say you are now due x, y, z.”

Having enjoyed seven years as Head of Recruitment at Everton, playing his part in the development of players such as Wayne Rooney and Jack Rodwell, Cannon has certainly experienced the other side of the story as well though.

And, now relishing the challenge ahead at Blackburn Rovers, he believes the Brockhall set-up is perfectly equipped to attract some of the game’s best youngsters their way.

“Theo is obviously a class player and I am sure he will be part of England’s World Cup squad this summer. He always had something about him,” said Cannon.

“Losing Theo was a real blow for us at Swindon but good players are going to move on to better clubs.

"Hopefully we might be able to attract a few from the lower clubs to Blackburn.

“We have great facilities and we need great players to go with it, it is as simple as that.

"Otherwise, it is like a house with nothing in it.

"Facilities are a good thing but they are not everything, it is all about players.

“Of course it can be a frustrating job. Everyone is looking for the best players out there, around this area the competition is immense, but you need to get your market share.

“With the influx of foreigners, and the big clubs paying a lot of money for them, youngsters may struggle at other clubs. We can use that as a tool to attract them here, because we don’t have the millions to pay.”

While all clubs are on the look out for the next Rodwell, Rooney or Walcott, Cannon insists bringing through players in less glamorous positions is just as important.

But, as well as developing the likes of Junior Hoilett and Phil Jones into first-team players, the 52-year-old Academy boss admits recruitment is just as important as they scan the world for the hottest young talent – as they look to compensate for the club’s limited transfer budget.

He said: “When I first went to Everton, Jack Rodwell was about nine.

"I used to pick him up a few times and we said from a very early age he was a Rolls-Royce.

"People didn’t think he was tough enough but you don’t have to play that tough to play like he does.

“There are only one a year in England, five in Europe, that you can put your hand on heart and say he is a Rolls-Royce though.

"But academies are not just about producing the superstars – we should be able to produce full backs, holding midfield players, squad players.

“We have to produce them. There should be no reason for clubs to spend all their money on a full back or a holding midfield player. That is our job really.

“We are looking for lads with the right attitude, like Tony Hibbert at Everton.

"He isn’t blessed with the same ability as Jack but his attitude is first class and he has made a great living from the game.

“If the first team was full of local boys it would be fantastic wouldn’t it.

"I think the locals can identify with them more and I believe the local boys do try a bit harder as well.

“That would be Utopia. I don’t think it will happen, but we will try our hardest to get as near that as possible.

"It is vital for a club like Blackburn. The academy has got to work, it is as simple as that.”