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With the Qataris and the Arabs influxes, romance in football is coming to an end. Every investor wants results. Every businessman wants a profit. The big question which arises is: Should the teams break the bank for big signings or put their trust in their home grown stars?
The answer however is a little complex. As a football fan, it would be a little bit of the first and more of the latter. One or two big signings, combined with young home grown stars will deliver results, but over time.
As a investor or a owner, it would be big signings to deliver results instantly.
But, do big they really deliver? Even if they do, it is always going to be for a short duration of time. The team will lack stability. If there are too many star studded egos in a team with a couple of players competing for a single spot, there are bound to be clashes. It is a manager’s nightmare to manage such teams.
A comparison between the Galacticos of Real Madrid and the home grown stars of the Blaugrana. Barcelona have fielded marquee signings, but they have ensured their current crop of La Masia Graduates break into the first team.
While the Galacticos’ have built their play around their star players, the Catalans have built their play around their home grown stars. Barcelona signed players like Samuel Eto, Zlatan Ibrahomovic and David Vila, but, it was always Xavi and Iniesta dictating the play for the Catalans. While Madrid have failed to fulfill their La Decima dream for the past decade, their rivals have won the Champions League thrice(2006, 2009, 2011) in the same time.
If we take a look at the Bundesliga, every team in the Bundesliga consists of home grown stars. The immense talent in Germany is due to the initiative taken by the DFB, which made it mandatory for every club to set up youth academies. The Germany national football team is one of the most feared teams in football. Their counter attacking is the best in the world. Bayern Munich has made big signings, in Robben, Ribery and Martinez. But, their team play was built around Bastian Schweinsteiger. He is their main man. They also have players in Alaba, Lahm, Troos and Muller, all academy graduates of FC Bayern. In 2012-13 the Bavarians won the League, the Champions League and the DFB Pokal, completing a treble, becoming the first team in German history to achieve it.
Borussia Dortmond is another club which, with its young talent and planning for the future, has won the league twice and reached the Champions League finals, all within the last three seasons.
In England and France the influxes are on a maximum. It all started with Jack Walker’s millions which won Blackburn the League back in ’95, and currently they are playing in the Championship.
It was Roman who did it for Chelsea. He invested heavily in the club, and wanted results immediately. The managers under him, whether they delivered on their promises or not, were shown the door, because it was never enough for him. Carlo Ancelotti was fired after leading the Blues to their first double in 105 years. Roberto di Matteo was sacked after getting them their first Champions League. Rafa Benitez was let go by the club after delivering them the Europa League. It’s mayhem with the club changing 8 managers in the last decade.
Similarly, Mancini was shown the door by City after leading them to their first trophy, the FA Cup, since 1969, delivering them the league after 44 years and getting them to qualify for the Champions league.
Manchester United has been the cream of English football for the past two decades. They have made marquee signings, but they have never neglected their youth system.
“As you sow, so shall you reap?” They planned for the future way back in the early 90′s and have reaped the rewards. The most successful team in English football with 20 top flight titles. It was the likes of the Nevilles, the Beckhams, the Scholes, the Giggs which lead the club to glory in the last two decades. Now, its time for the new bunch of players to lead the club in this decade, with the likes of the Welbecks and the Cleverlys.
Even with Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has always developed young talent with home grown stars. He has always brought unknown players on a small budget and developed them into Champions.
Robin van Persie was bought for £2.75 million, nurtured , developed into one of the most lethal strikers in Europe and sold for £24 million. Wenger has ensured Champions League qualification for the club in every season he was in charge of. He was the manager of the ‘Invincibles’, who finished the League unbeaten in 2003-04, with majority of the players, being developed or nurtured by him. All this happened because he was given time by the club to put his dreams in place. Currently, they have Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Alex Chamberlain to lead the way for them in the future.
With the Kop, it was Stevie G, Micheal Owen and Jamie Carragher, who led the way for Liverpool. All were youth academy graduates of Liverpool Football Club, and have always played their hearts out for the team. It was the flair of their inspirational captain Gerrard, which scripted one of the greatest comebacks in the Champions League final of 2005.
In France, PSG’s Qatari investment won them the league this season. Similarly, AS Monaco is breaking the banks for every player in Europe with the likes of Falcao, Rodriguez and Moutinho, already on their way to France.
It is the Era in football where money is on a high. The love of a player for the club, and the support of the fans who stood behind them during their miseries and success, are traded for greener pastures. El Nino swapped the red of Merseyside for the blue of London in the transfer window deadline.
As the saying goes, “Rome was not built in a day”, every owner must realize that success never comes overnight. It has to be envisioned, it has to be dreamed of, it has to be put in place by a series of event. Above all, time and patience is of utmost importance.
Only time will tell, whether the new managers will lead the Citys, the Chelseas, the PSGs , the Madrids to success, or will it be just another day at the office for them.
