Youth System Players

[muzyk]

Has anybody noticed that the most successful teams in the last decade(the only history I could remember because of my age) have always been the ones that are dominated by players who are products of the youth system?

Barca won its treble with 7 out of 11 of the starting XI all being products of their youth systems.

Xavi, Ineista, Puyol, Victor Valdes, Pique, Messi, Sergio B...and several more who were sitting on the bench including Bojan.

The only team who I can remember being as successful as Barca were last season, is Manchester United of the 98/99 season, and what do you know? their team was also dominated by products of their youth system.

Giggs, Scholes, Garry Neville, Phillip Nevillie, David Beckham, Wes Brown, Nicky Butt.

Again 7 out of the Starting XI are derived from their youth teams

This my proof that MAdrid will never be as successful as Barca was last season, it takes more then heaps of cash to make history.

[Art Deco]

Its the same reason the Persians lost to the Greeks consistently - you can't just pay a bunch of mercenaries and expect them to carry the same passion and drive as home grown players.

[muzyk]

Its the same reason the Persians lost to the Greeks consistently - you can't just pay a bunch of mercenaries and expect them to carry the same passion and drive as home grown players.

That is true. That is why the addition of players like Ribery and Robinho might actually hurt us. They are the epitome of mercenaries.

[maniaFCB]

Its the same reason the Persians lost to the Greeks consistently - you can't just pay a bunch of mercenaries and expect them to carry the same passion and drive as home grown players.

That is true. That is why the addition of players like Ribery and Robinho might actually hurt us. They are the epitome of mercenaries.

True. But it one thing to have one hired gun in a squad of local players, and quite another to build your team with the mercenary identity.

[mybes]

We are going to lose Gai, Thiago, Jeffren, Dos Santos very soon:

http://goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2010/0 ... er-league-

[marcel]

We are going to lose Gai, Thiago, Jeffren, Dos Santos very soon:

http://goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2010/0 ... er-league-

Not if we can successfully renegotiate their contracts. Pep has had a big influence on their development and with his contract now sorted out, hopefully this can pull some favour with the youngsters.

[bobo]

All those players have, maybe with the exception of Gai, have played with the first team and generally seemed to want to be a part of the team. I think they'll stay..

[maniaFCB]

I think the future of the club (the cantera) would be best served by waiting on the Cesc transfer. If he comes, he will take away from the midfield opportunities for players like Thiago, JDS, and Assulin. If you were one of those three, would you take your chances breaking a into the starting midfield with Xavi, Iniesta, and Fabregas ahead of you? Or would you go to a club like Arsenal, where they have developed a culture of giving young players a chance to grow on the field and not in the cantera? It is important to lock these players down before they are picked off the vine by the EPL vultures. Cesc is still young, we can make a go of him once Xavi starts to wind down...

[Art Deco]

Thing is that its going to be up to Cesc when he returns, not anyone else, and we're really not going to have much say considering the high demand for him.

Gai is developing into more of a winger mold so won't compete with Thiago or JDS for MF spots.

Plus our youngster know that with Pep in charge they have a great chance of moving up quick if they show promise and growth. Look at how Busquets is practically first choice (even if some still question why) in little over a year and Pedro came out of nowhere to now be considered for important games.

Obviously to displace Iniesta or Xavi is a tougher bet, but considering they are really our sole creative starting midfielders (Keita is more box-to-box) there will be chances for the youngsters.

Cesc will come when he finally realizes Arsenal is a black hole, and really we won't have any choice but to shell out for him, even if that comes at the expense of youngsters.

[maniaFCB]

Cesc has several years left on his contract with Arsenal so he has some power in this situation. But If we don't throw 40-50 million at him, he's not coming. We can control when he comes just as much as he can....

Our midfield does not need the reinforcement that our left wing does. That type of money would be better spent on someone to fit that spot than someone who is going to create a logjam in the cantera's progression to the midfield.

Whether Cesc comes or not, I think it is inevitable that we will lose one of these players to big clubs that can offer big money and more playing time...

[ForzaBarca]

We are going to lose Gai, Thiago, Jeffren, Dos Santos very soon:

http://goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2010/0 ... er-league-

I think the only real danger of a loss will be Gai...There has been speculation that his agent is trying to secure some sort of first team football guarantee from Pep before signing - I think that's a deal killer right there

Not a huge loss anyway, were it to happen, I find he's a bit overhyped

[Art Deco]

He's 18, cut him some slack.

No comparisons to great players would be a good start. It clearly messes with any youngster's head. Just like when Bojan was supposedly the 'next Messi' a few years ago (although lack of playing time under Pep hasn't helped his improvement).

[Toquin]

A club that produces players like Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol deserves all the success. Barca won everything and made a great contribution for the good world football.

[Emilfu]

Thiago, Marc Bartra, and Dos Santos all signed new contracts with FC BARCELONA. This is incredible news.

[bobo]

Excellent!