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Spanish Inquisition: Is Real Madrid The Best Place For Sergio Canales?
Goal.com's Cyrus C. Malek profiles Racing star Sergio Canales and wonders if the demanding Bernabeu is the best destination for the young sensation.
Feb 4, 2010 7:30:00 PM
By Cyrus C. Malek
Even for those of us who ardently follow the very unique brand of football that is on offer in La Liga, the phenomenon that is Sergio Canales Madrazo has come like an un-forecasted tidal surge. Suddenly, an 18-year-old scored two sublime goals against world-class keeper Andres Palop in an away win at Sevilla, and the next day the front page of every Spanish sports daily was painted with the boyish grin of the 1.76-metre-tall Luke Skywalker look-a-like who has become nothing short of Spain’s hottest prospect during the January transfer window.
Of course, this rapidly rising star was not made overnight. Since he first took to the pitch after joining Cantabrian side Racing Santander at just 11, Canales has exhibited his boundless potential. So clearly superior in his highly technical play was the youngster at just 12 years of age that the coordinators of a local football competition were petitioned to change the rules so that Canales could be awarded the Most Valuable Player accolade. He has represented Spain in every division of the youth national team (U-16, U-17, U-18, and U-19), winning an European championship while in the U-17's and being named the Player of the Tournament in the Copa Atlántico (an unofficial European championship tournament) in the U-18's.
In just his second year as a professional, Canales has already experienced more public attention at Racing than some players at the Cantabrian club experience in their entire careers. Last season he was used sparingly by then-coach Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz, only appearing in six La Liga matches as a substitute. This season he was similarly relegated to the bench by new trainer Juan Carlos Mandia, appearing in only 15 minutes of a 4-1 loss to Getafe and only 20 minutes in a match against Zaragoza, where they were down 2-0 but managed to fight back to secure a 2-2 draw with their rising star on the pitch.
But after a string of poor results that left Racing in the relegation zone, Mandia was sacked in favour of - incidentally - former Real Madrid player, youth team coach, and technical director Miguel Angel Portugal, and Canales’ immense talent was immediately recognised.
In Portugal’s first match as coach against - again, incidentally - Real Madrid, Canales was called upon in the 60th minute and was unlucky to see a well-taken effort that beat Iker Casillas ruled out for an erroneous offside call. Racing lost that match 1-0.
Two games later, Canales made his first start for Racing against Espanyol and subsequently scored two goals in a 4-0 win, an astonishing feat for an 18-year-old in La Primera, especially one who plays as an attacking midfielder. Three matches later against Tenerife, in what would become his second start, Canales led Racing to a 2-0 victory and, although he did not score, was heavily involved in his team’s attack. The youngster also had a gem of a goal disallowed for an offside call.
Now, despite not having to shoulder the responsibility of being a regular starter, Canales has won the praise of scouts, pundits, and players alike. His teammates Pedro Pinillos and Xisco laud him as “a monster… what quality he has!” and “a marvel… what this kid does is incredible”.
The Spanish press has likened him to Guti without any of the Madrid midfielder’s pride or vanity, and rightly so as Canales has a reputation for timidity and he doesn’t even have an agent much less a tattoo.
His fame has taken hold amongst the fans, too, and every day an army of female admirers line the gates of Racing’s training ground waiting for a glimpse of the mild-mannered jewel of Spanish football. Not too far away from the throng of giddy teenagers, representatives from clubs across Europe are joining the frenzy, although they are after his signature for a completely different reason.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid are just a few of the many European superpowers that have reportedly packed El Sardinero with scouts and are now attempting to tie young Sergio to a long-term contract. Among them, it seems that coach Miguel Angel Portugal’s Bernabeu background has served as a favourable liaison for Los Blancos as the Spanish giants are anticipated to secure the player’s signature soon, although there are now murmurs in the Cantabrian camp that he is in no hurry to put pen to paper.
But would going to the Spanish capital be a wise move for a youngster, so clearly in the early stages of his professional development and just beginning to touch upon his boundless potential? A number of players, coaches and columnists have weighed in on the issue, most notably Catalunya coach and Barcelona legend Johann Cruyff, who has declared that Canales should wait until he is 23 to sign for a big club. Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, meanwhile, has recommended that Canales stay on loan at Racing because a place in the current Madrid squad would be very difficult to come by, thus stymieing his abilities.
Madrid have a reputation for prematurely curbing the careers of young stars. Playing time is difficult to come by at Chamartin and the immense pressure of entertaining the Santiago Bernabeu die-hards is a heavy burden usually only shouldered by the world’s established superstars who have already proven their trade elsewhere. Even historic success is not a sure recipe for success at the world’s richest club as players like Michael Owen, Antonio Cassano, Walter Samuel and Wesley Sneijder found their form dip substantially in White. Could such an environment cause a player of Canales’ promise to disappear into oblivion in a few years' time?
If the deal with Madrid should go through, it is widely expected that Canales will remain at Racing for at least another two years, allowing him to gradually mature and assume more responsibilities on the pitch. Such a strategy was taken in the case of current Madrid defender Ezequiel Garay - also at Racing last season - and thus far the Argentine has served as a marvellous replacement for the injured Pepe. The same can be said of ex-Getafe’s stars Ruben de la Red (before the diagnosis of his heart ailment) and Esteban Granero and it also seems to be working this season for Sevilla’s Alvaro Negredo, although it is possible that the 'Wild Animal of Vallecas', who is reportedly thorougly enjoying his stay at Sevilla, will not return to the Bernabeu.
With Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque hinting that Canales could soon make an appearance in the senior Spanish national team, thus completing the youngster’s circuit of serving his country at every level, staying at his home club of Racing, where the pressures are few and the expectations are commensurate, looks to be the best option for the youngster.
The added experience of playing for a couple more years in La Primera along with the possibility of appearing in the Spanish national team will put him in the ideal position to make the transition to the Real Madrid spotlight where an already principled and humble youngster will have the chance to blossom into the next superstar of Spanish football.
With golden boy Raul and the highly regarded Guti likely to be out the football by that time, Madridistas will be hungry for a new Spanish talisman to call their own and instead of greeting Canales with the whistles that usually accompany the lofty expectations at the Bernabeu, they could well extend a welcoming embrace to the next golden boy of Spanish football.
For more on Spain click ahead to Goal.com's Spain homepage
Of course, this rapidly rising star was not made overnight. Since he first took to the pitch after joining Cantabrian side Racing Santander at just 11, Canales has exhibited his boundless potential. So clearly superior in his highly technical play was the youngster at just 12 years of age that the coordinators of a local football competition were petitioned to change the rules so that Canales could be awarded the Most Valuable Player accolade. He has represented Spain in every division of the youth national team (U-16, U-17, U-18, and U-19), winning an European championship while in the U-17's and being named the Player of the Tournament in the Copa Atlántico (an unofficial European championship tournament) in the U-18's.
In just his second year as a professional, Canales has already experienced more public attention at Racing than some players at the Cantabrian club experience in their entire careers. Last season he was used sparingly by then-coach Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz, only appearing in six La Liga matches as a substitute. This season he was similarly relegated to the bench by new trainer Juan Carlos Mandia, appearing in only 15 minutes of a 4-1 loss to Getafe and only 20 minutes in a match against Zaragoza, where they were down 2-0 but managed to fight back to secure a 2-2 draw with their rising star on the pitch.
But after a string of poor results that left Racing in the relegation zone, Mandia was sacked in favour of - incidentally - former Real Madrid player, youth team coach, and technical director Miguel Angel Portugal, and Canales’ immense talent was immediately recognised.
In Portugal’s first match as coach against - again, incidentally - Real Madrid, Canales was called upon in the 60th minute and was unlucky to see a well-taken effort that beat Iker Casillas ruled out for an erroneous offside call. Racing lost that match 1-0.
Two games later, Canales made his first start for Racing against Espanyol and subsequently scored two goals in a 4-0 win, an astonishing feat for an 18-year-old in La Primera, especially one who plays as an attacking midfielder. Three matches later against Tenerife, in what would become his second start, Canales led Racing to a 2-0 victory and, although he did not score, was heavily involved in his team’s attack. The youngster also had a gem of a goal disallowed for an offside call.
Now, despite not having to shoulder the responsibility of being a regular starter, Canales has won the praise of scouts, pundits, and players alike. His teammates Pedro Pinillos and Xisco laud him as “a monster… what quality he has!” and “a marvel… what this kid does is incredible”.
The Spanish press has likened him to Guti without any of the Madrid midfielder’s pride or vanity, and rightly so as Canales has a reputation for timidity and he doesn’t even have an agent much less a tattoo.
Young Skywalker Canales
His fame has taken hold amongst the fans, too, and every day an army of female admirers line the gates of Racing’s training ground waiting for a glimpse of the mild-mannered jewel of Spanish football. Not too far away from the throng of giddy teenagers, representatives from clubs across Europe are joining the frenzy, although they are after his signature for a completely different reason.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid are just a few of the many European superpowers that have reportedly packed El Sardinero with scouts and are now attempting to tie young Sergio to a long-term contract. Among them, it seems that coach Miguel Angel Portugal’s Bernabeu background has served as a favourable liaison for Los Blancos as the Spanish giants are anticipated to secure the player’s signature soon, although there are now murmurs in the Cantabrian camp that he is in no hurry to put pen to paper.
But would going to the Spanish capital be a wise move for a youngster, so clearly in the early stages of his professional development and just beginning to touch upon his boundless potential? A number of players, coaches and columnists have weighed in on the issue, most notably Catalunya coach and Barcelona legend Johann Cruyff, who has declared that Canales should wait until he is 23 to sign for a big club. Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, meanwhile, has recommended that Canales stay on loan at Racing because a place in the current Madrid squad would be very difficult to come by, thus stymieing his abilities.
Madrid have a reputation for prematurely curbing the careers of young stars. Playing time is difficult to come by at Chamartin and the immense pressure of entertaining the Santiago Bernabeu die-hards is a heavy burden usually only shouldered by the world’s established superstars who have already proven their trade elsewhere. Even historic success is not a sure recipe for success at the world’s richest club as players like Michael Owen, Antonio Cassano, Walter Samuel and Wesley Sneijder found their form dip substantially in White. Could such an environment cause a player of Canales’ promise to disappear into oblivion in a few years' time?
Even 'Il Talentino' couldn't spark the fans' imagination
If the deal with Madrid should go through, it is widely expected that Canales will remain at Racing for at least another two years, allowing him to gradually mature and assume more responsibilities on the pitch. Such a strategy was taken in the case of current Madrid defender Ezequiel Garay - also at Racing last season - and thus far the Argentine has served as a marvellous replacement for the injured Pepe. The same can be said of ex-Getafe’s stars Ruben de la Red (before the diagnosis of his heart ailment) and Esteban Granero and it also seems to be working this season for Sevilla’s Alvaro Negredo, although it is possible that the 'Wild Animal of Vallecas', who is reportedly thorougly enjoying his stay at Sevilla, will not return to the Bernabeu.
With Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque hinting that Canales could soon make an appearance in the senior Spanish national team, thus completing the youngster’s circuit of serving his country at every level, staying at his home club of Racing, where the pressures are few and the expectations are commensurate, looks to be the best option for the youngster.
The added experience of playing for a couple more years in La Primera along with the possibility of appearing in the Spanish national team will put him in the ideal position to make the transition to the Real Madrid spotlight where an already principled and humble youngster will have the chance to blossom into the next superstar of Spanish football.
With golden boy Raul and the highly regarded Guti likely to be out the football by that time, Madridistas will be hungry for a new Spanish talisman to call their own and instead of greeting Canales with the whistles that usually accompany the lofty expectations at the Bernabeu, they could well extend a welcoming embrace to the next golden boy of Spanish football.
For more on Spain click ahead to Goal.com's Spain homepage
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