Bundesliga's unique take on the progression of Youth - Why it's not successful in Europe's biggest competition

This transfer policy adopted, mostly forcefully, by many of the top Bundesliga clubs has been one of the main reasons for the sharp decline we now see in the Bundesliga in terms of the average age of the squads. It is a profit making policy, it should be stated. Many Bundesliga clubs are satisfied with earning a few million euro’s from the sale of their best players whom they bought for pennies just a few seasons prior.

Dimitar Berbatov during Leverkusen days

Alex Hleb was bought for only 150,000 Euro’s only to be sold for 15 Million Euro’s after five seasons, Diego Ribas’ sale garnered an 18.5 Million Euro profit for Werder Bremen in just three seasons while the latest sale of Mesut Ozil racked in a profit of 11 Million Euro’s.

These transfer policies are usually imagined by clubs within the mid-table regions of the other three big leagues, not for clubs that consider themselves as consistently challenging for the league title. Ultimately, this unambitious dealing of players has prevented either of these sides from contesting for the Bundesliga year in year out and has prevented them from performing well in the Champions League when they do eventually qualify.

An example for many of these clubs to look up would be Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. A club who had finally seen themselves as worthy challengers for the coveted fourth place in the Premier League, and subsequent qualification for the Champions League.

The mid 2000′s always saw their progress stall time and time again due to the selling of their most prized assets – Dimitar Berbatov, bought from Bayer Leverkusen, Michael Carrick and Robbie Keane are three examples of players who made their name at the North London club but then wanted out due to the demand of their services from clubs with more prestige.

Lately though we have seen a clear strong stance taken by their ex-manager Harry Redknapp and Chairman Daniel Levy, which is to completely forbid any selling of their best players, even if it is against the wishes of their players, unless for large amounts of money.

Luka Modric was one such player for whom Chelsea, three time Premier League Champions and Champions League finalist during the last seven seasons, were willing to bid upto 40 Million Pounds. Modric voiced his discontent at not being sold but Tottenham stood firm and didn’t pave to his demands.

What we are now seeing is this policy coming into perfect fruition. After qualifying for the Champions League in 2009/10, taking advantage of a poor season by Liverpool, this season, as with the stagnation of rival clubs like Chelsea (would this be the same had Tottenham sold Modric?) and Arsenal, Tottenham have gradually gone up the ladder and are now comfortably placed in third position only seven points off the top.

This after also exciting all who watched them in last season’s Champions League where they not only topped their group (contained a Mesut Ozil less Werder Bremen) but also shocked Italian champions AC Milan in the Round of 16.