"I am Arsenal through and through. I'd never advise anyone to sign for Tottenham,"
"I can't have Arsenal fans thinking I am helping Tottenham in any way. The truth is I was talking to Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and he told me he was trying to sign Patrick from Inter Milan."
"I was very surprised because Patrick is like me. He loves Arsenal."
"I just said that Patrick would be a brilliant signing. But I also made it clear I would be shocked if it happened."
Mind you, all that Tel says is not gold. He seems under some kind of bizarre illusion at the moment which makes him think that Barca's recent success has been based mainly on developing their own young players:
"Just look at Barcelona. We won the treble this year and proved you can succeed by developing your own players and blending them with one or two expensive signings."
A bit detached from reality to say the least Tel. Marquez, Abidal, Alves, Pique, Toure, Henry, Silvinho, Gudjohnsen, Eto'o, Puyol, say no more. True they have four youth team products in their first eleven in Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Valdes; but to ignore the fact that they have brought in a lot of expensive talent from elsewhere is rather disingenuous. After all when does a player become a product of one's youth system? If they are brought in at 11 years old, is that so different to coming in at 15? You see my point.
3 comments:
"After all when does a player become a product of one's youth system? If they are brought in at 11 years old, is that so different to coming in at 15?" -- Good question. I don't think you can include Puyol in your category of "expensive signings." He joined Barca's youth team at the age of 17 for a low figure. So he didn't come directly from Barca's academy but neither is he an expensive fully formed professional from some other club. Puyol's heart is Barca thru and thru, he's considered one of their own regardless of his origins. Also, Henry may be referring to Guardiola's addition of several Barca youth academy players in the first team this season.
Fair enough, but he has been quoted as saying that Arsenal don't do this.
In fact we have several guys who've been with us from before the 18 year old mark, Cesc for one.
"he has been quoted as saying that Arsenal don't do this."
Didn't know that. He's just plain misinformed, then!
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