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Usual thread starter… David Bentley was sold – I suspect – because Wenger became aware of a lack of focus due to his gambling problems. The manager won’t tolerate anything less than 100% focus.
Let’s face facts here. Arsenal’s Academy has produced one player that was a no questions first team starter – one Ashley Cole. Even he got into the team only due to Silvinho’s passport problem. Otherwise, he’d have been sold to Palace. The academy exists for one thing and one thing only. Train youngsters in the Arsenal way, loan them out to get some exposure and then cash in.
Wenger doesn’t trust his Academy, hence Theo and Cesc immediately train with the first team squad. Clichy too. On this basis, Fran Merida will not make it, but Carlos Vela might. We’ll see.
Two Aarons are bad news for Arsenal’s Academy players (18/6)
David Bentley was sold because he wanted to leave.
The problem with the academy is that we can only take on British kids that live within 1 1/2 hours travelling time of the training ground. We can sign as many foreign kids as we want and after a certain age the travelling doesn't come into it.
Basically what is happening is that "local" kids just can't cut it.
Look at the kids that we brought through since 1963 -
Local players - Charlie George, Pat Rice, Adams, Merson, Rocastle, Thomas, Peter Storey, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour, Kevin Campbell, Paul Davis, Stewart Robson.
Long distance - Ray Kennedy (north east), John Radford (yorkshire), Sammy Nelson (Belfast), Jon Sammels (Ipswich), Peter Simpson (Norfolk), Eddie Kelly (Glasgow), Graham Rix (Doncaster). Keown (Oxford) is debatable.
Foreigners - Brady, Stapleton, O'Leary, Devine, Quinn, Fabregas.
Can you imagine winning the double in 1970/1 without Radford, Kennedy, Simpson, Sammels & Kelly!
You can't blame Arsenal for the local kids not being good enough. Blame it on the way FA teaches football at schools. By the time they get to Arsenal they have been indoctrinated with the Charles Hughes methods and the majority are effectively broken.
The rules have changed and Arsenal have had to adapt to survive.
The problem with the academy is that we can only take on British kids that live within 1 1/2 hours travelling time of the training ground. We can sign as many foreign kids as we want and after a certain age the travelling doesn't come into it.
Basically what is happening is that "local" kids just can't cut it.
Look at the kids that we brought through since 1963 -
Local players - Charlie George, Pat Rice, Adams, Merson, Rocastle, Thomas, Peter Storey, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour, Kevin Campbell, Paul Davis, Stewart Robson.
Long distance - Ray Kennedy (north east), John Radford (yorkshire), Sammy Nelson (Belfast), Jon Sammels (Ipswich), Peter Simpson (Norfolk), Eddie Kelly (Glasgow), Graham Rix (Doncaster). Keown (Oxford) is debatable.
Foreigners - Brady, Stapleton, O'Leary, Devine, Quinn, Fabregas.
Can you imagine winning the double in 1970/1 without Radford, Kennedy, Simpson, Sammels & Kelly!
You can't blame Arsenal for the local kids not being good enough. Blame it on the way FA teaches football at schools. By the time they get to Arsenal they have been indoctrinated with the Charles Hughes methods and the majority are effectively broken.
The rules have changed and Arsenal have had to adapt to survive.
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QuartzGooner
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I think you're missing the point.
Wenger didn't particularly want to sell any of them, the kids wanted to leave because of who was 'in front' of them. None of them were going to be first choice for a couple more seasons, they didn't want to hang around, simple as that. The number of players who are ready for 1st team football at 17 or 18 are few and far between (at the top anyway). The youngsters need to take a look at reality in a way.
I find it slightly ironic that Bentley says he feels he's ready and deserves a top 4 club - well he was at one!!
TC
Wenger didn't particularly want to sell any of them, the kids wanted to leave because of who was 'in front' of them. None of them were going to be first choice for a couple more seasons, they didn't want to hang around, simple as that. The number of players who are ready for 1st team football at 17 or 18 are few and far between (at the top anyway). The youngsters need to take a look at reality in a way.
I find it slightly ironic that Bentley says he feels he's ready and deserves a top 4 club - well he was at one!!
TC
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QuartzGooner
- Posts: 14474
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:49 pm
- Location: London
Re: .
Wenger did want to sell a number of players.TeeCee wrote:I think you're missing the point.
Wenger didn't particularly want to sell any of them, the kids wanted to leave because of who was 'in front' of them. None of them were going to be first choice for a couple more seasons, they didn't want to hang around, simple as that. The number of players who are ready for 1st team football at 17 or 18 are few and far between (at the top anyway). The youngsters need to take a look at reality in a way.
I find it slightly ironic that Bentley says he feels he's ready and deserves a top 4 club - well he was at one!!
TC
Ryan Smith, Ryan Garry, Quincy Ewusu-Abeyie, Juan, Jermaine Pennant, Anthony Stokes, Jerome Thomas, Fabrice Muamba, Seb Larssson, Matthew Connolly, Graham Stack to name a few..all sold after being deemed surplus to requirements.
Bentley left of hi own accord but he is not good enough for us anyway.
Goonerak, i cannot agree with you more on your following statement;
"You can't blame Arsenal for the local kids not being good enough. Blame it on the way FA teaches football at schools. By the time they get to Arsenal they have been indoctrinated with the Charles Hughes methods and the majority are effectively broken."
I have experienced this first hand as an ex coach who studying for UEFA B licence became very de motivated witht the game due to the "functional" way we coach British players. I now only enjoy watching the Arsenal as we play the right way, coach the right way. This is why British players are becoming more scarce and why we will never win the World Cup/Euro unless we change our coaching system fast. Give Sir Trevor Brooking more ppower he talks up an exciting attacking game all the time!!
"You can't blame Arsenal for the local kids not being good enough. Blame it on the way FA teaches football at schools. By the time they get to Arsenal they have been indoctrinated with the Charles Hughes methods and the majority are effectively broken."
I have experienced this first hand as an ex coach who studying for UEFA B licence became very de motivated witht the game due to the "functional" way we coach British players. I now only enjoy watching the Arsenal as we play the right way, coach the right way. This is why British players are becoming more scarce and why we will never win the World Cup/Euro unless we change our coaching system fast. Give Sir Trevor Brooking more ppower he talks up an exciting attacking game all the time!!
