The end of another progressive season at Arsenal football club is preceded by an exciting summer of European Football. For some time now we have known that one of the worlds most prestigious tournament will take place without are most beloved home nations, In the next few weeks I believe we will see the designs of the major corporations had on our football frenzied nation, but whatever they have conjured up to prize away your pounds, I do doubt there chances of commercial success. Need I be as bold as to say I wouldn’t let kicking a Mars bar promoted ball distract me from the criticism and spin which followed England’s failure to qualify. With the lack of British stars within Arsenal’s team as a whole would it be fair to blame one of the Premier League’s superpowers for not blooding enough homegrown talent within the it’s ranks? I think not…
Arsenal has often been singled out for being one of the main reasons the national team is failing but I beg to differ. The Clubs has had a mixed history with buying home grown talent. I believe Wenger had realized at a early point in his Arsenal career that good British players could easily be slotted within the back four of his team but then eventually found out the same methods of player integration wasn’t as suitable for other roles. The point is, someone like Francis Jeffers who had already learned his trade at another club will still to improve & adapt his game a lot to be considered Arsenal regular, However premier league price tags would suggest such a players on sale was the finished article with plenty of room to improve. With that said, in today’s market do domestic transfer fee reflex the players true potential or more their tried and tested value?
Does this mean to get domestic value for money you have to grow your own players? Well I think so, although we still seem to be buying British with the likes of Walcott, it’s no substitute to an academy talent raised to play the Arsenal way. The thing is our English stars are unlikely to stay and battle it out with their foreign counterparts to cement their places within the first team. However the likes of David Bentley, Ashley Cole, Steve Sidwell & Matthew Upson have all found themselves at least one England cap better off since leaving the club which goes to show what maybe isn’t good enough for us is still international & domestic quality. With that said I’m sure there’s still hope for the likes of Graham Stack in the Championship becoming first team and Justin Hoyte and Kerrea Gilbert if they don’t make it at the Emirates.
All clubs more or less have no choice but to buy foreign to get the quality in there teams at a affordable price, but should clubs really buy foreigners if there not producing home grown to put back into the system? Now we as a club are producing English youngster that will be sort after but what are the other big clubs doing? The last notable Manchester United produced player was Richardson, but before that was it Brown about 8 years ago? How about Liverpool and Chelsea?
If the top teams buy the best British players from the other smaller teams isn’t this just adding to the problem of not producing the talent while you have the mentors in your club? (Think of Beckham not ever training with Cantona) There are so many ex-West Ham players in the Manchester United and Chelsea teams that you have to wonder if the people who are running the FA are quite happy that the cream of British talent are coming from lower tier clubs and not the cream of the crop in the top four.
With all that said I’m extremely happy with everything Arsenal has done for developing British talent and hope they continue within the same manner while the other big clubs point the finger. I’m extremely excited by the British talent to come…
Article By Deaje
Tags: arsenal, British Players, Debate, england
