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Barcelona is the major force in
European football despite losing out on the Champions League trophy this
season. Inter won the title without one single Italian in their starting
line-up.
Barcelona players were all over the field when Spain won the World Cup
in South Africa. Iniesta, Xavi, newly signed Villa, Pique, Puyol and
Pedro were all in the starting line up.
Barcelona has a base of Spanish players in their team and they have
managed to bring players such as Xavi and Iniesta up from their own
ranks and via the youth and reserves. This is great work and how it
should be done.
New rules from UEFA will force Arsenal to work on their youth
developement, but they will be punished hard in the years to come if
they miss out on the best players. They have not managed to find talent
in their "own garden" and used the full planet as their scouting ground.
Arsene Wenger has done his business abroad and brought in young talents
from all over the World, none of them are Arsenal fans, and they will,
when they get famous, try to find a more glamour club.
Arsenal have in recent years been a club to join to get on the way to a
better place, knowing that you will get your chance at a young age if
you are good enough, but it is a dangerous path for the club.
Every person working with youth developement would hope that Arsenal
fails with their current policy because it is ruining football. To use a
hoover around the World like a fishing trawler is not youth developement.
If Arsenal had managed to bring forward English talent it would have
been ok, but so far none of the youngsters at Arsenal has in recent
years managed to establish themselves in the first team.
Fabregas joined Arsenal as a very young player and rumours about his
exit is there all the time. Why on earth does Wenger fight for a player
that is not 100 % committed to the course and not good enough to play
from start in the Spanish national team.
It should not be needed for UEFA to make rules that stops "football
child trafficking" and hopefully clubs like Arsenal will learn their
lesson and manage to find and develope talent closer to their home.
The last English player coming up from the youth system at Arsenal and
managed to establish himself in the first team is Ashley Cole. Cole made
his debut in 1998 and is now with Chelsea.
Arsenal have in recent years neglected the fact that a football team
with so many different cultures and no solid foundation cannot win the
major trophies. When Arsenal were a force they still had David Seaman,
Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole and Martin Keown at the club.
What on earth is going on at Arsenal FC.
They are not winning trophies and not able to bring forward English
talent.
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