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Mateo Kovacic

walworthyid

David Ginola
Oct 25, 2004
7,059
10,242
I don't think he played for Chelsea in their title winning season did he? Decent example but Chelsea are looking for a new CB this window as well which suggests that they also might not view him as good enough.

In any case my point isn't that youth players don't come through into the first team, but that hoping one does in the position you so happen to need them to isn't very wise. It's better imo to fill in the gaps in the team in the transfer market and then if youth players prove to be at an equal or better level then that's a bonus.
The age old problem is that young players need opportunities in order to develop and prove their worth. Kane never looked like he was going to be a top player. When you play with and against top players under real game pressure, you sink or swim.

I do agree that regardless of all of that, 99% won't make it because they just aren't good enough.

I always use Modric as an example. He is arguably the best midfield player in the world and has been for the last 5 years. Ever since he was 18 or 19, people have raved about him. He has obviously got better over the years, but he has always had it. If it were simply a case of giving youth a chance, there would 10,20 50 Modric's coming through every year. But there aren't, because players of that quality are very rare.

Because of the way that we operate, we have been very lucky in that we have produced a number of top players via our youth system. Kane, Rose, Walker, Winks, Dier, even Townsend! But we are kind of a special case. We are big enough to attract young players from other clubs eg Dier, Rose, Walker, but because we have developed so well over the last decade yet still can't afford to buy whoever we want, those players have had the chance to flourish.

You could argue that it has worked for us thus far, but, I feel that in order to make that next step we need to buy top quality.
 
Jul 27, 2018
26
55
We've had what 2 come off as legit players capable of this level (I guess Winks counts as that, but I'm not dead set on that opinion) in the last 6 years?[\QUOTE]

I thought that the best games Spurs played last year was when Winks was in he side.
 

archiewasking

Waiting for silverware..........
Jul 5, 2004
7,848
11,668
I don't think he played for Chelsea in their title winning season did he? Decent example but Chelsea are looking for a new CB this window as well which suggests that they also might not view him as good enough.

Christensen is an excellent player. If they want to get a new centre back, it's to replace Cahill.
 

DFF

YOLO, Daniel
May 17, 2005
14,225
6,090
I'm not sure that a bona fide solution to our central midfield conundrum would be at his most effective if he had to play in that condition.
What condition is that? Better condition?
Bonify, look er up. :finger:
 

jay2040

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
2,636
4,165
The age old problem is that young players need opportunities in order to develop and prove their worth. Kane never looked like he was going to be a top player. When you play with and against top players under real game pressure, you sink or swim.

I do agree that regardless of all of that, 99% won't make it because they just aren't good enough.

I always use Modric as an example. He is arguably the best midfield player in the world and has been for the last 5 years. Ever since he was 18 or 19, people have raved about him. He has obviously got better over the years, but he has always had it. If it were simply a case of giving youth a chance, there would 10,20 50 Modric's coming through every year. But there aren't, because players of that quality are very rare.

Because of the way that we operate, we have been very lucky in that we have produced a number of top players via our youth system. Kane, Rose, Walker, Winks, Dier, even Townsend! But we are kind of a special case. We are big enough to attract young players from other clubs eg Dier, Rose, Walker, but because we have developed so well over the last decade yet still can't afford to buy whoever we want, those players have had the chance to flourish.

You could argue that it has worked for us thus far, but, I feel that in order to make that next step we need to buy top quality.

Judging by the comments at the lack of activity combined with our recent success I can't see the patience to g8ve as many youngsters the oppurtnuity to progress, unless we don't sign anyone!
 

whitelanefever

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
2,149
2,855
Don't know where to put this BC general transfers is locked for some reason..so I'll stick it in first midfielder thread that came up to show teams need operating capital.. Arturo Vidal fee is 21ml with variables..will cost them U-20 ml on a/c this yr with all transfer expenses included..

Mightn't mean anything to us but show's market is starting to move..so get a bottle of Tequila & whatever may come on deadline enjoy yourself or commiserate yourself..

Dendonker looks like he might be heading to Atalanta
 

jay2040

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
2,636
4,165
Don't know where to put this BC general transfers is locked for some reason..so I'll stick it in first midfielder thread that came up to show teams need operating capital.. Arturo Vidal fee is 21ml with variables..will cost them U-20 ml on a/c this yr with all transfer expenses included..

Mightn't mean anything to us but show's market is starting to move..so get a bottle of Tequila & whatever may come on deadline enjoy yourself or commiserate yourself..

Dendonker looks like he might be heading to Atalanta

Ideally wanted to do a 'what the fuck' and 'like' emoji!
 

alexis

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2012
1,820
3,374
Who is the last player who came through a club's youth system and went on to win the league with that team as a starting XI player? It's incredibly rare, especially for a midfield/attacking player, to come through and be good enough to play for a title challenging team. As you go down the league table and the quality drops, it becomes easier for a youth player to make the jump into the first team, but to have one good enough to come in and be a starting player for title challengers is pretty unlikely. Aside from the freak Leicester team, I think the last player that would qualify as that would be Danny Welbeck.

So basically I think that if we're hoping that our youth players are going to be good enough to fill in the holes in our first XI, we may be disappointed. We should spend some money to fix the gaping CM hole that we'd had the last few years.
Andy King
 

allatsea

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,866
16,055
Who is the last player who came through a club's youth system and went on to win the league with that team as a starting XI player? It's incredibly rare, especially for a midfield/attacking player, to come through and be good enough to play for a title challenging team. As you go down the league table and the quality drops, it becomes easier for a youth player to make the jump into the first team, but to have one good enough to come in and be a starting player for title challengers is pretty unlikely. Aside from the freak Leicester team, I think the last player that would qualify as that would be Danny Welbeck.

So basically I think that if we're hoping that our youth players are going to be good enough to fill in the holes in our first XI, we may be disappointed. We should spend some money to fix the gaping CM hole that we'd had the last few years.

If I have understood you correctly you seem to be saying their is no point in the top 6 clubs having academies ?
 

SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,552
43,063
Wondered if Dendoncker might be one of our options as CM seems to have become 'holding midfield' in the press. Can play CB too. Was at WC so only just back from holiday. Guess not!

Hopefully we are in for Kovacic!
 

rawhide

I have issues...
Jan 28, 2011
16,723
31,154
I don't think he played for Chelsea in their title winning season did he? Decent example but Chelsea are looking for a new CB this window as well which suggests that they also might not view him as good enough.

In any case my point isn't that youth players don't come through into the first team, but that hoping one does in the position you so happen to need them to isn't very wise. It's better imo to fill in the gaps in the team in the transfer market and then if youth players prove to be at an equal or better level then that's a bonus.
Andy King for Leicester. Midfield too...
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
If we do actually sign Kovacic, we may need help from the Jehovah Witnesses
2106291D-56F1-4EB2-A430-B14B7C9A4615.jpeg
 

deanostheyido

Well-Known Member
Aug 5, 2011
597
5,949
I see a link on-line (probably very unreliable) that says we are discussing a £44million for Kovacic’s International team mate Marcelo Brozovic. I’ve not seen us linked before, but I quite like him as a player. Maybe he’s an alternative to Kovacic, if it is even at all true?

http://football-talk.co.uk/140950/t...in-44m-deal-as-poch-closes-in-on-1st-signing/
Shame the source is team talk, as brozovic would be a brilliant signing. Off the radar, and doable because of inters transfer targets.
 
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