Young Talent

[JoseReyes29]

reyes, v.persie, cesc, lupoli, senderos, djourou, clichy, flamini, quincy

jack hobbs, robinho, greek guy, nsari (ones we have been recently linked with)


to name a few.

It now seems that Wenger has decided that the only way to compete with manchester utd. and especially Chelsea's financial advantage over us is to buy players young and while they are cheap in the hope that they can grow into world class players once they get more experience and get older instead of buying world class players straight off for 10m+ like chelsea and manchester united.

A few months ago Wenger said that no one really knew how good this current Arsenal team could become. He gave the example of West Ham. He said at one point they had: lampard, ferdinand, carrick, defoe, kanoute etc. and many more and he said that if that group of players had stayed together they would now be challanging for the league but they didnt because no one knew how good they would all become.

That is the same with all of these who could quite easily become world class in less then 5 years:

senderos, cesc, v.persie, reyes, Djourou, Clichy, Quincy

 

[Jkreffer]

In West Hams case I think that some of them wouldn't have acheieved their potential had they stayed. This is because they wouldn't have been playing much higher standards of football. It has only been once they have gone to bigger clubs and played in Europe that they have established themselves. I may be wrong, but I think that if they has all stayed they never would have got close to the players they are now.

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

Jose - very interesting, but it's nothing new. It's what Wenger's done at Highbury since day 1.

 

[hujja]

It's all part of the master-plan. But who knows if these world-class players will stay with us.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

I noticed how many good youngsters we've got when running that poll. The fact that out of the players in the poll, only Quincy and Justin Hoyte didn't get a vote, said quite a lot for the strength of our kids, Clichy could be on the verge of a big breakthrough, Senderos is now part of the squad, then there's Cesc, van Persie, Reyes already estanblished as part of the squad. If these guys can develop to their full potential, despite Chelseas billions of rubles, we could be set for many happy years to come at the Grove.

 

[SuperBob]

I definately can't see Cesc staying with us for another 15 years.
But im ceratin Van Pesie, Senderos, Clichy , Djourou, Flamini, and Quincy will go on and become future starting 11 players.

Sorry to be so negative but if Barcelona come calling for Cesc when he's about 23/24 he will no doubt go there.

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

Bob - utter cobblers. What on earth do you base the fact that Cesc will go back to Barca. He's a fan of them, but so what?

Ash is (supposedly) a gooner. Adams and Parlour were west ham fans. Merse was chelsea. Mickey Thomas was a spud. Ledley King is a gooner.

Means absolutely nothing at all.

 

[Chips&CurrySauce]

I also feel that Cesc wil return to Barca one day... The reason being when you buy a young player from a top league, ie either the Italian or Spanish leagues, it is only natutal for that youngster to want to go back home eventually...

Its not like signing a Dutch kid, because as we all know the Dutch leage is a different level to the prem, La liga and seria A... But if you're a Spanish youngster or Italian youngster the lure to go and play for a Barca, Real, AC, Juve etc must be very very strong!

 

[SuperBob]

The kid grew up in Barcelona they are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Don't get me wrong I want the guy to stay as he will go and become a world class CM but like Chips&CS said it's only natural he will want to go back to his country IF Barca came calling later on.

Same goes for Xabi Alonso i reckon if Madrid or Barca wanted him and gave Liverfool 10-15 Mil he would want to go there.

The players I mentioned before don't come from a country were the league is crash hot, that's why I think they want to stay with Arsenal as there already playing in a top league with a fantastic team.

 

[Paden]

Why did Alonso choose Pool this year when Real wanted him?

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

Bob - but why is it natural? The history of football is full of people who had the chance to join there boyhood faves but passed on it. Bobby Pires grew up in a house that (on one side) idolised Real Madrid and was a member (indeed there are pictures arounf of Bobby as a child wearing their kit). But when Bob had the chance to play for Arsenal or Real he chose Arsenal. And before you say something like he's French, bear in mind he may be French in football terms but he has one Spanish and one Portuguese parent.

If anything I think you'll find that quite often players actively avoid playing for their boyhood favourites because of the extra pressure this brings.

 

[the dawn raids]

when looking at all the talent we have coming through, it really does make you a bit cautious over what you wish for in transfers this summer. dont get me wrong, i know we need a few coming in, but we have such a string of excellent youth players coming through now, to disrupt that would be a mistake; one that Wenger has made it known he does not intend to make. then again, about all the players weve been linked to so far are quite young. how much younger can this squad get and be ready to compete this season?

 

[Canuck]

The entire childhood fan things has already been done over, and I believe that the consensus was that just because you are a fan of a team growning up, that doesn't mean that the be all and end all for a professional career is playing for that team.

Absolutely agree that we have a fantastic crop of young players just waiting in the wings. They've been collecting in the reserve for years now and we are getting very close to seeing many familiar faces take a step back and many new yet already familiar faces to step fully into the spotlight. Kudos to Wenger and his keen eye and patience. This will surely pay off in the long run. Just think of the money Chelski will have to spend to keep pace with us. Replacing players every season, spending millions on bringing in established world class players just to try and fend off a bunch of kids. Well maybe I exagerate a little bit. :wink:

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

I'd like to add something to that Canuck.

I think that there's only a very very small number of players who say they're fans of such and such are what would be considered fans in the outside world.

By the time they reach their early teens they're not looking out for chances to watch their team or anything because they're playing. So at the age when most people cement the bond to 'fandom' they're isolated from it, and quite often attached to another club. And I think that although they might have a soft spot for their childhood club (if you listen to interviews quite often when they're asked who they actually support they say 'as a kid I supported'), they only really support the teams they have a playing association with.

Tony Adams, Paul Merson, Ian Wright, Ray Parlour, Kenny Sansom, and many more all supported other clubs as kids. Ask any of them who their club is now and they'll say Arsenal. But none of them (with the possible exception of Wrighty) are what I'd call supporters.

Charlie George. Now name another footballer who regularly used to watch his team as a kid...

 

[JoseReyes29]

barcelona betrayed cesc. why would he go back there?

 

[jmd4211]

I dont think they betrayed him......just had too much competition for 1st team places

 

[Canuck]

I'd like to add something to that Canuck.

I think that there's only a very very small number of players who say they're fans of such and such are what would be considered fans in the outside world.

By the time they reach their early teens they're not looking out for chances to watch their team or anything because they're playing. So at the age when most people cement the bond to 'fandom' they're isolated from it, and quite often attached to another club. And I think that although they might have a soft spot for their childhood club (if you listen to interviews quite often when they're asked who they actually support they say 'as a kid I supported'), they only really support the teams they have a playing association with.

Tony Adams, Paul Merson, Ian Wright, Ray Parlour, Kenny Sansom, and many more all supported other clubs as kids. Ask any of them who their club is now and they'll say Arsenal. But none of them (with the possible exception of Wrighty) are what I'd call supporters.

Charlie George. Now name another footballer who regularly used to watch his team as a kid...

Excellent point Exiled. One of the most compelling points in this argument. You truly are our voice of reason in a chaotic world.
I was going to say something about Mr. Arsenal being a W.Ham fan growing up. (I believe it was the Hammers) and I'm sure Cesc may check the scores to see how Barca are doing or when he talks to friends back home they fill him in. Though I don't think he was dancing in the streets of London when they won the league. To be honest I don't think it's fair to say that they betrayed him but I also don't think he's sitting at home wishing they'd call him. Personally I think that if Barca came calling for Cesc tomorrow he would be of the mind. "Well no, you lot had your chance and now I'm an Arsenal player." At least I hope so...

 

[jmd4211]

At least I hope so...

Me too. Its gonna be a privelidge watching this kid develop into one of the best around

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

Canuck - thank you. The one that always raises my eyebrows is Wrighty who used to go see Millwall week in week out.

 

[GoonerDK]

I for one believe that cesc will stay with us for many many years to come... 8)