DISQUS

Mark · 1 year ago

In general, I would agree. However, this is Arsenal, and they arguably play the most technical pleasing football in the league. Your mention of Simek training with Arsenal is noted though. Hard to say if this is a good move or not.

Fabregas' Dad · 1 year ago

Arsenal are probably one of the most technically demanding teams in the world, as for Simek, that was a long time ago and back then Arsenal's academy was not as strong as it is now because Wenger has had time to develop it.

Stef · 1 year ago

coming to england is no guarantee that they as going to make it! Only one player every 10 years breaks from a teams academy to the first team. When that happens you are worth $30million. You have to be more than just a special player, you have to be be one of the best in the world.

American Gooner · 1 year ago

Simek isn't the same kind of player Arsenal develops, and was at an earlier stage of Wenger's career (if indeed Wenger actually signed him - if not, that only emphasizes the first point). Holland spends more time developing players technically, yes, but not any more than Arsenal (and given the style of football Arsenal play, not as well on average, though a chance to train with Ajax would be closer to the Arsenal standard.)

Plus, it's not like Kirovski, Cooper, and Spector didn't exactly pan out. There's a little cherry-picking going on when Beasley is included among the Dutch players, since he was already a pro in MLS before he went over. Bradley is promising but still untested against quality opposition. His defense is tough, but his passing is overrated at this stage of his career. O'Brien is the only other one on the Dutch list that makes sense and injuries make it difficult to assess his overall career. He had to turn to MLS towards the end because he wasn't getting minutes in Holland.

Suffice to say, this article has a lot of anti-England baggage that ignores the fact that any youth player with an Arsenal offer have the opportunity of a lifetime, and any US player that can work with Wenger's side will only help the program.

sean · 1 year ago

It seems as if this article has been put in place to criticise English academies?Arsenal have one of the top 3 academies in Europe and given the chance the boy should take it and fulfill his dream.The MLS is at best 2nd rate and would only damage the boy in the long run.It would be best for US football to let Arsene Wenger work his magic on the lad.

undrafted · 1 year ago

Arsenal tends to buy up the top 16 year olds from across Europe. I'm not sure that means they have a top academy. How many English kids has the Arsenal system produced?

Anyways I still think Arsenal is a great place to go, as he'd be surrounded by several top 16-18 year olds. If they keep a fraction of their youth, it'll be a hard place to get first team minutes.

Simmo · 1 year ago

A 16 year old still has a lot of development to go so dismissing the fact that Arsenal sign players from across Europe who are 15 and 16 is wide of the mark. 15-19 is in fact the most important stage of a future professional's career. That's the make or break period.

Hboy · 1 year ago

Your comments are fair enough with regards to young men leaving their country at such a young age, but you're picking on the wrong team with Arsenal, there's more opportunities to make it at Arsenal than any other leading european team. What you're not taking into account, are the chances of a 14-year old making it to the top. No-one is guaranteed to make it at that age, but Arsenal have a tremendous record of giving these young men a professional career in the sport. You talk about Frank Simek as if Arsenal piddled-away the career of the next Pele, that wasn't the case, he was average. Arsenal can take a talented player onto the next level, they can polish diamonds, but they can't make diamonds out of pebbles. That he's playing at any professional level, is something he, and Arsenal can be proud of. With defenders especially, it's very difficult to predict at that age, the tallest, strongest, bravest kid on the pitch at 14, isn't necessarily anything more than an early developer, physically nothing special by the age of 18.

From where I'm sitting · 1 year ago

I disagree, because I think Charles Renken is a special case. I think he has plenty of skill, and more power than Freddy, who is a notoriously finesse-bound player. If we could get a real success story in the Premiership, it would greatly improve chances for us cracking the best league in the world. And you're telling me a chance to play with rising Gunner's (even if he never makes the full team) is going to give him a poor early training process?
The way I see it, he has a much greater chance at learning something valuable that he never could in the MLS, and an amazing (and priceless) career boost.
Two examples: Kenny Cooper is looking like a very interesting option over scoreless Ching, and he definetly benefited from his time training with Man U.
Second: Beasley had some easy, fast goals for PSV, where the play wasn't so intense, then played horribly (minus 1 pass) in last World Cup.

Charles Renken isn't getting any worse if he joins Arsenal, and this deal could help everyone involved. Let him go.

Ian · 1 year ago

Arsenal's academy is not to be trusted with him. If he goes to England, West Ham, Man City or Watford would be better. Renkin is a special talent and will likely be good wherever, but may not be as good as he can be if he goes to the wrong place.