Spain's Youth Investment Pays Off

So, to Spain go the spoils. And deservedly so too. But before I get into my final thoughts about Euro 2008, I unearthed a little piece I wrote back in 2000 - eight long years ago - which seems just appropriate to ponder again at this time. Enjoy.


SPANISH LESSONS FOR AFRICAN SOCCER
Sola Egunjobi

A week after Cameroon’s historic Olympic victory, it’s difficult to stray away from the issue of youth development in football. Not just because the Olympic soccer event, which features U-23 teams, so easily demonstrates the gains of a well-laid out development programme, but also because, for African countries that lack the professional structures of the Europeans, there can be no other way to achieve international success on the playing fields.

Of course, the fact that Africa’s top countries boast players from the top European leagues suggests that it is in exporting players, rather than youth development, that the path to international success lies. For many countries that is certainly true, but the export of young players certainly goes hand in hand with youth development. For one thing, European clubs are more likely to import promising young players – Kanu left Nigeria at 17, ASEC’s Aruna Dindane, 18, has just joined Anderlecht. Secondly, it is no coincidence that player exports from Africa have grown with the growing profile of FIFA’s age group world championships over the last fifteen years. What better incentive to focus on youth development than a chance to compete against the world’s best at that level? And what better setting for European clubs to poach than from a collection of the world’s most promising youngsters?

Cameroon and Nigeria offer two African examples of countries that have reaped the benefit of youth development. Ghana have promised much, but the fruits of their youth endeavours could still lie in the future and South Africa have the right idea but, having just returned to the football fold eight years ago, are still new to the party.

For my money though, perhaps the best example for African countries comes from outside the continent. Olympic silver medallists, Spain once again showed the world the benefits of investing in youth, and this from a country whose clubs invest very heavily on foreign imports.

There indeed lies the lesson for Africa. Spanish clubs, one would assume, have little use for untried young players, or so the evidence suggests. Big clubs like Real Madrid so often line up sides with only a sprinkling of Spanish players and Barcelona once had more Dutchmen than Spaniards in their squad. Even smaller clubs, like Real Betis, Celta Vigo and Valencia have large foreign contingents and many young Spanish players seldom get a chance to prove their mettle. Yet, Spanish clubs continue to produce more than a fair share of talented youth. Barcelona, for all their riches, produced three of the Olympic team regulars – defender Carlos Puyol, midfielder Xavi, and striker Gabri - while from Valencia came David Albelda, and Miguel Angulo, regulars in the club’s Champions League run last season. More impressive perhaps is the quality of U-23 talent that couldn’t make the trip: Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas, Barcelona new boy Gerrard and Inter Milan midfielder Paco Farinos.

But the Spanish example doesn’t end with clubs producing players. The Spanish federation gives top priority to youth football and they have done well in harnessing that talent into well-honed youth teams. Coach Inaki Saez Ruiz has handled the U-20 side for close to four years leading them to two world youth championships the last of which they won in Nigeria last year. So, if it seems as though Spain has simply filled its Olympic squad with talented youngsters from the clubs that isn’t the whole truth: four of the first team in Sydney played regularly in the championship winning team of 1999 and another three – as well as the missing Farinos - played at Malaysia 97. Beyond that, the likes of Xavi, Gerrard, and Casillas also played for the U-17 side at the 1997 world championships in Egypt where Spain finished third. Such continuity is hard to come by, yet it is clearly the way to go.

Of course it also requires loads of patience before the benefits are reaped at senior level and even Spain, for all their promise, are yet to win major honours. But that may not be too far down the road.

Rather prophetic, isnt it? Well, if anything, this argument is even stronger today. Of that silver winning team of 2000, four players featured at Euro 2008 - Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila and Xavi - and a fifth, David Albelda, would have made the trip but for some personal club problems. Then there's Casillas, who didn't go to Sydney. And that youth system continues to florish: eight other members of this squad have represented Spain at either U-17 or U-20 world championships - both for some -in the last nine years (Reina, Iniesta, Torres, Fabregas, David Silva, Navarro, Albiol and Sergio Garcia). That's a total of 13 players from a squad of 23. Impressive.

More on the Euros in my next post when I'll try and pick my team of the tournament. Yikes!