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Eduardo Vargas and Neymar dominated South America in 2011, but the Argentine wonderkids were nowhere to be seen
Clubs in Chile and Brazil nourish their talents, while in Argentina the system actively halts the development of local young stars and pushes them to Europe.
Jan 5, 2012 6:11:00 AM
By Daniel Edwards in Buenos Aires
Goal.com
While there could still be some debate over the eventual winner of El Pais' prestigious South American Player of the Year award, there is no doubt that the top two candidates fully merited their place. Santos phenomenon Neymar's stellar start to 2011 eventually outweighed the brilliant last six months enjoyed by Universidad de Chile's Eduardo Vargas and brought the title to Brazil, but the pair were outstanding throughout the year and there were no greater contenders in the continent's domestic soccer scene.
Looking at the list of candidates, however, a startling trend emerges. Neymar's young team-mate Ganso made the cut in third, as did the U's starlets Charles Aranguiz and Eugenio Mena. Ex-Nacional star Sebastian Coates would surely have figured highly in the voting, had the Uruguayan Copa America winner and revelation of that tournament not left for England's Liverpool in August.
Scanning the list for Argentine wonderkids, on the other hand, proved to be a fruitless task. The nation's top three performers - Boca trio Juan Roman Riquelme, Rolando Schiavi and Clemente Rodriguez - are all on the wrong side of 30, having returned to the club after careers elsewhere in South America and Europe. Schiavi turns 39 in just two weeks' time, making him double the age of the irrepressible winner from Brazil.
This is not to take anything away from Boca's stars, who all enjoyed excellent seasons to lead their club to the 2011 Apertura. But not since the young Carlos Tevez won three times in a row from 2003-05 has an Argentine under the age of 25 won this title, which begs the question: Where is Argentina's Neymar or Vargas, and where are the wonderkids who should be lighting up South America?
The easy answer, of course, is Europe. While Brazil's economic boom and Chile's relative obscurity to scouts does much to impede the sale of players before they exit their teenage years, the same cannot be said of the youngsters coming out of Buenos Aires, Rosario and elsewhere in Argentina. A quick glance at the boys who departed the Primera Division in 2011 makes this fact clear.
The immensely talented Erik Lamela was sold to Roma after just a year as a starter for River Plate. Juan Iturbe left for Porto after failing to even play a game in the country he adopted for international duties. Maxi Moralez, 24, moved to Italy for a second spell in Europe, after shining so brightly with Velez. Marcos Rojo, Fede Fernandez, Sebastian Blanco, Jonathan Cristaldo -- the list is endless, and with every departure goes one more player who will no longer shine in front of his native fans.
There are other, less obvious effects to this broken system. Sergio Batista has been roundly discredited after his unsuccessful term with the Argentina team ended in Copa America failure, but on the subject of youth development the 2008 Olympic winner had his finger right on the pulse.
"The problem with Argentine soccer starts at the base. One can say, what is the identity of Argentine soccer? We don't know. Every year there is less technique on show. We do not necessarily have to copy the Spanish, how they played at the World Cup or taking 20 touches, we need to copy their project -- for 10 years they have been working with the same philosophy in order to win the World Cup or European Championship," he said.
"We have a ton of Xavis and [Andres] Iniestas here, but instead of giving them the ball we give them weights. We are wrong."
His point is clear: to the detriment of developing the skills that are synonymous with Argentine soccer, dribbling, close control and flair - all abundant in Vargas and Neymar's approach to the game - physical strength and conditioning is valued, all geared to make the teenage star ready for the rigors of Europe. Perhaps bearing this in mind it is sadly logical that two of the most exciting, technically brilliant players to come through the Argentine system in recent years, James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao, are both Colombian.
Another crippling factor on the youth of Argentina comes from the clubs and league itself. The breaking up of the season into two 19-game championships helps keep competition and excitement to a maximum but it also, to dust off an old cliche, turns every game into a final. And as everyone knows, the key in a final is not necessarily winning, but to avoid losing at all costs.
The awful standard of much of the 2011 Apertura, won at a canter by a Boca team that netted just 25 times and conceded six, is a symptom of the majority of teams going out on the field determined not to be defeated. It is pessimistic, negative soccer, and harmful to the development of youth.
How can a promising 19-year-old be expected to shine when the pressure to not drop points is almost unbearable? How can a coach keep said teenager in the side when his first three games in the club's shirt were understandably disappointing, if in that time the same number of poor games could cost him a job? Why would one of the big sides take a chance on a young talent from Banfield, or All Boys, when for a fraction of that kid's inflated, Europe-oriented price tag they can bring in a 30-year-old journeyman to do a similar job? These are the questions that need to be answered, if this worrying trend can ever be ended.
Of course there is no need to exaggerate this paucity of talent in Argentina. The brilliant young players, as ever in this breeding ground for Messis, Maradonas and let's not forget Ayalas and Zanettis, are out there. Arsenal de Sarandi center back Lisandro Lopez bears little resemblance to his namesake in Lyon, but he is a cultured, fierce defender who can score goals as well and should be knocking on the door of the Argentine national team before too long.
Facundo Ferreyra has barged his way into the No. 9 shirt at Banfield, and attracted interest from Juventus with his powerful running and eye for goal. Independiente fans marvel at the skills of playmaker Pato Rodriguez, just 21 years old and with a future that looks ever brighter. Even down in the Nacional B, River Plate fans insist that their teenage winger Lucas Ocampos is ready to follow the example of Aimar, Saviola, Crespo and countless others to become another greatest hit for the club's wonderful academy.
But the difference between these young stars and the pair who fought for South America's prize award is as different as night to day. At just 19 and 22, Neymar and Vargas have been given the opportunity to prove themselves as the best players on the whole continent as the figureheads of winning teams.
It would take a very brave man to bet that, this time a year from now, any of those mentioned above could stay in their native country, break through the suffocating, safety-first Argentine system and gain the plaudits of South America.
Looking at the list of candidates, however, a startling trend emerges. Neymar's young team-mate Ganso made the cut in third, as did the U's starlets Charles Aranguiz and Eugenio Mena. Ex-Nacional star Sebastian Coates would surely have figured highly in the voting, had the Uruguayan Copa America winner and revelation of that tournament not left for England's Liverpool in August.
Scanning the list for Argentine wonderkids, on the other hand, proved to be a fruitless task. The nation's top three performers - Boca trio Juan Roman Riquelme, Rolando Schiavi and Clemente Rodriguez - are all on the wrong side of 30, having returned to the club after careers elsewhere in South America and Europe. Schiavi turns 39 in just two weeks' time, making him double the age of the irrepressible winner from Brazil.
This is not to take anything away from Boca's stars, who all enjoyed excellent seasons to lead their club to the 2011 Apertura. But not since the young Carlos Tevez won three times in a row from 2003-05 has an Argentine under the age of 25 won this title, which begs the question: Where is Argentina's Neymar or Vargas, and where are the wonderkids who should be lighting up South America?
The Old Guard | Riquelme, Clemente and Schiavi have a combined age of 101 years
The easy answer, of course, is Europe. While Brazil's economic boom and Chile's relative obscurity to scouts does much to impede the sale of players before they exit their teenage years, the same cannot be said of the youngsters coming out of Buenos Aires, Rosario and elsewhere in Argentina. A quick glance at the boys who departed the Primera Division in 2011 makes this fact clear.
The immensely talented Erik Lamela was sold to Roma after just a year as a starter for River Plate. Juan Iturbe left for Porto after failing to even play a game in the country he adopted for international duties. Maxi Moralez, 24, moved to Italy for a second spell in Europe, after shining so brightly with Velez. Marcos Rojo, Fede Fernandez, Sebastian Blanco, Jonathan Cristaldo -- the list is endless, and with every departure goes one more player who will no longer shine in front of his native fans.
There are other, less obvious effects to this broken system. Sergio Batista has been roundly discredited after his unsuccessful term with the Argentina team ended in Copa America failure, but on the subject of youth development the 2008 Olympic winner had his finger right on the pulse.
"The problem with Argentine soccer starts at the base. One can say, what is the identity of Argentine soccer? We don't know. Every year there is less technique on show. We do not necessarily have to copy the Spanish, how they played at the World Cup or taking 20 touches, we need to copy their project -- for 10 years they have been working with the same philosophy in order to win the World Cup or European Championship," he said.
"We have a ton of Xavis and [Andres] Iniestas here, but instead of giving them the ball we give them weights. We are wrong."
To the detriment of dribbling, control and flair, young players are focused on physical exercises to prepare them for the strains of European soccer |
 |
|
His point is clear: to the detriment of developing the skills that are synonymous with Argentine soccer, dribbling, close control and flair - all abundant in Vargas and Neymar's approach to the game - physical strength and conditioning is valued, all geared to make the teenage star ready for the rigors of Europe. Perhaps bearing this in mind it is sadly logical that two of the most exciting, technically brilliant players to come through the Argentine system in recent years, James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao, are both Colombian.
Another crippling factor on the youth of Argentina comes from the clubs and league itself. The breaking up of the season into two 19-game championships helps keep competition and excitement to a maximum but it also, to dust off an old cliche, turns every game into a final. And as everyone knows, the key in a final is not necessarily winning, but to avoid losing at all costs.
The awful standard of much of the 2011 Apertura, won at a canter by a Boca team that netted just 25 times and conceded six, is a symptom of the majority of teams going out on the field determined not to be defeated. It is pessimistic, negative soccer, and harmful to the development of youth.
How can a promising 19-year-old be expected to shine when the pressure to not drop points is almost unbearable? How can a coach keep said teenager in the side when his first three games in the club's shirt were understandably disappointing, if in that time the same number of poor games could cost him a job? Why would one of the big sides take a chance on a young talent from Banfield, or All Boys, when for a fraction of that kid's inflated, Europe-oriented price tag they can bring in a 30-year-old journeyman to do a similar job? These are the questions that need to be answered, if this worrying trend can ever be ended.
| THREE HOPES FOR THE FUTURE |
| Lopez | Rodriguez | Ocampos |
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Of course there is no need to exaggerate this paucity of talent in Argentina. The brilliant young players, as ever in this breeding ground for Messis, Maradonas and let's not forget Ayalas and Zanettis, are out there. Arsenal de Sarandi center back Lisandro Lopez bears little resemblance to his namesake in Lyon, but he is a cultured, fierce defender who can score goals as well and should be knocking on the door of the Argentine national team before too long.
Facundo Ferreyra has barged his way into the No. 9 shirt at Banfield, and attracted interest from Juventus with his powerful running and eye for goal. Independiente fans marvel at the skills of playmaker Pato Rodriguez, just 21 years old and with a future that looks ever brighter. Even down in the Nacional B, River Plate fans insist that their teenage winger Lucas Ocampos is ready to follow the example of Aimar, Saviola, Crespo and countless others to become another greatest hit for the club's wonderful academy.
But the difference between these young stars and the pair who fought for South America's prize award is as different as night to day. At just 19 and 22, Neymar and Vargas have been given the opportunity to prove themselves as the best players on the whole continent as the figureheads of winning teams.
It would take a very brave man to bet that, this time a year from now, any of those mentioned above could stay in their native country, break through the suffocating, safety-first Argentine system and gain the plaudits of South America.
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