Thanks Sam for the mention of the Barca book. Hadn't heard of that before. Just downloading it on my kindle for my son and I. Just read a review and looks very interesting.sam-caddick said:La Masia is not just arguably the best academy in the world, but also a very interesting academy in how it promotes its youth to the first team; La Masia can be be looked at as flawed.
If you read Graham Hunter's Barca book, he mentions how the likes of Pique and Fabregas get to the age of 16, get bored at academy level because they are scoring ridiculous amounts of goals and winning games by cricket scores, these players cannot sign professional contracts until the age of 18 and struggle to make the Barca first team because there is no room. That is why the likes of Arsenal and United came in to snap up the players mentioned an offer them good money and first team football.
Whether La Masia can generate and carry on such a great golden generation of talent remains to be be seen, but currently they have such a pool of talent that they just cannot all be promoted to the first team. There are some absolute pre - world class kids in their academy waiting for their chance, but with the likes of Iniesta, Messi, Xavi, Fabregas etc.. It is hard to break through!
I can definately see some La Masia scouting being put in place now we have FS and TB on the board, some of them kids at La Masia are by far good enough to make first team football in the Premier League!
jollylescott said:Thanks Sam for the mention of the Barca book. Hadn't heard of that before. Just downloading it on my kindle for my son and I. Just read a review and looks very interesting.sam-caddick said:La Masia is not just arguably the best academy in the world, but also a very interesting academy in how it promotes its youth to the first team; La Masia can be be looked at as flawed.
If you read Graham Hunter's Barca book, he mentions how the likes of Pique and Fabregas get to the age of 16, get bored at academy level because they are scoring ridiculous amounts of goals and winning games by cricket scores, these players cannot sign professional contracts until the age of 18 and struggle to make the Barca first team because there is no room. That is why the likes of Arsenal and United came in to snap up the players mentioned an offer them good money and first team football.
Whether La Masia can generate and carry on such a great golden generation of talent remains to be be seen, but currently they have such a pool of talent that they just cannot all be promoted to the first team. There are some absolute pre - world class kids in their academy waiting for their chance, but with the likes of Iniesta, Messi, Xavi, Fabregas etc.. It is hard to break through!
I can definately see some La Masia scouting being put in place now we have FS and TB on the board, some of them kids at La Masia are by far good enough to make first team football in the Premier League!
I certainly wouldn't mind 'Cheeky' acquiring some of those younger Barca players.
kompany10 said:pedro will sign in january, and there is talk of fabregas in the summer.
Ntini77 said:Thiago would be nice.
kompany10 said:pedro will sign in january, and there is talk of fabregas in the summer.
just spoke to my source, the deal is completed and will be announced in the next 20 mins, exellent signing.
Kun Aguero said:kompany10 said:pedro will sign in january, and there is talk of fabregas in the summer.
Posted on transfer deadline day at 10:38 pm.
just spoke to my source, the deal is completed and will be announced in the next 20 mins, exellent signing.
EDIT: About Garcia.
kompany10 said:pedro will sign in january, and there is talk of fabregas in the summer.