Comments on: Playing the Waiting Game

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:44:21 +0000

sorry but this article is just plain wrong. As well as attacking Man-City unfairly, you also claimed that Luiz has made a bad start to his Chelsea career. He’s played one match and besides giving away a penalty, he was comfortably the man of the match. Wenger and Ferguson do develop players but how many times have United made signings and let them go after a year or two? Veron for a start. Also Nani, came in for a large price tag of about £18 million. The basic point of the article is correct, but please do a little more research.

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By: Markus Jensen

Markus Jensen — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:57:13 +0000

I’m not having a pop at City when it comes to giving youth a chance the last 5 years. Hart, Richards and Johnson were all blooded before the arab owners came in, and I don’t think they’ll choose that line of thinking judging by the signs so far in their reign. You don’t spend 27 million on a striker to give your fairly talented youth striker a chance, nor buy a midfield for a cost of about 50 million and play a youth player. With signings coming so rapidly I don’t see chances for youngsters to break through, that’s all, and I don’t think the machine gun policy in signing players is the right way to go.

By: Neil Sherwin

Neil Sherwin — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:49:43 +0000

Define ‘break through’. Remember this is the club that has given a 23 year old the nod in goal ahead of a seasoned international and two time Premier League Goalkeeper of the Year.

Micah Richards is a firm member of the first team squad, Michael Johnson would be were it not for injury, and I’ve already listed players who have been heavily involved in the first team squad.

It’s a cliche at this stage, but if you’re good enough you’re old enough, and City have certainly done more than most clubs in the country with regard to youth. All you to do is take a look at the training facilities and underage setup. It’s second to none.

There are plenty of reasons to have a pop at City but youth policy and giving kids a chance is certainly not one of them.

By: Markus Jensen

Markus Jensen — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:54:24 +0000

Neil: You don’t seriously expect any of your youth prospects to break through any time soon? I certainly don’t, even if they’re given a chance here and there. As for Mancini, who knows where he’ll be in 3 years. Main point about lack of patience stands, the youth issue in City’s case was besides the main point.

Kevin: I’m not saying United haven’t spent big, I’m saying United and Arsenal stand by their big signings(and youngsters) and give them the chance to prove their worth before spending equally or more on other targets. Eternal evolving transfer doors aren’t the solution to achieve success, I believe.

I’m aware clubs have to spend to compete with established top clubs, but I don’t think Chelsea nor City are going about it the best way. I know both clubs have invested in youth facilities and brought young talents in from abroad, but I don’t think they can afford to blood them/want to do that in the current ownership climate where instant success is demanded. Perhaps this came poorly across in the article, directing the blame towards the managers(which in my opinion have done reasonably well.)

And I do feel Arsenal could do well with trying to fix some gaps in their squad, even if they do stay patient with what they’ve got. If they bought Smalling, which Wenger intended for, they would have a top prospect at the back and could give him the chance.

By: It's Grim Oop North

It's Grim Oop North — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:43:21 +0000

This article assumes City and Chelsea don’t give players the chance to settle into the team, before discarding them needlessly.
Whilst it may be true that some players have not been given a fair crack of the whip at these clubs, it is also true that United and Arsenal have discarded fine players in hindsight.
I am thinking of Diego Forlan, David Bentley, Jay Bothroyd, Ryan Shawcross, the list is massive.
I cannot speak for Chelsea, but City have given players like Jo loads of time and opportunity to come good in recent times, in fact the fans are mystified why some players have lasted as long as they have.
United have serially broken transfer records and wage structures to attract and retain the best players around for decades, and Arsenal have behaved in a similar fashion until the move to the Emirates depleted their resources.
To pretend these two clubs, with their established worldwide scouting networks, are not buying their way to success is naive at best.
The Champions League rewards mean the gap between the top four and everyone else gets wider every season, only massive investment and risk-taking can break the monopoly enjoyed by those teams fortunate to be in the qualifying places at the inception of the CL.
Some risks don’t pay off, some do.
City and Chelsea are playing catchup, also establishing their academies and scouting networks, alongside top wages and transfer fees to compete.
Both clubs have looked at several models to build success, and City seem intent on emulating the Barca model, with vast investment in the youth.
Please do feel free to do some research into the fine work going on at the moment at Eastlands, Carrington and Platt Lane training complexes, then you will see City are on course to be the envy of world football when the plans come to fruition.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:54:15 +0000

A Norweigan using the word “muppetry”? I’m impressed!

More seriously, I’m not sure how the sentiments in this article can be reconciled with the very recent article by the same author “Arsenal -forever young or finally ready”? There, he recommended Arsenal fix the holes in their squad (i.e. where youth is inadequate) with transfer spending. http://backpagefootball.com/premier-league/arsenal-forever-young-or-finally-ready/

By: Charlie

Charlie — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:33:45 +0000

Fine article, agree entirely.

By: Neil Sherwin

Neil Sherwin — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:11:56 +0000

“As for City, they have pretty much given up their former habit of producing their own players for their first team”

Sorry Markus but that’s just wrong. Only the other week we saw Abdul Razak become the latest youngster to get a chance in the first team. Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely and Chris Chantler also played away to Juventus in the Europa League while Dedryck Boyata has enjoyed a good run in the side.

In fact, since Mancini took over 14 months ago, 9 academy graduates have played first team football. To put that into perspective, if you go back 9 players before that you go all the way to March 2006 so if anything MORE are getting a chance now than ever before.

“What chance would those players have if they tried to break through at Chelsea and City?”

If at City they’d be given a very good chance, as the current first team squad shows.