Why Arsenal Must Persist With Vision: Barcelona & Les Bleus Case Studies
ByAs Arsenal are about to finish a fifth successive season without a trophy, pundits, journalists, bloggers and fans have started to draw their own conclusions.
Projections are made for next season, players who should leave and arrive are listed and demands are made of the manager to splash the cash.
Although I agree that some new faces would be welcome, my actual hopes lie elsewhere and are for the long term. Let me justify my optimism by drawing parallels between Arsenal and two other teams.
The first one is close to my heart albeit not as close as the Gunners! The France national team, under the current manager, seem to be playing below their expected high standards.
However, football fans of my generation will remember the days when qualifying for a major tournament was celebrated the way the Spurs fans did the other night for their first league victory against Arsenal in over ten years.
French football went from the dark days of the ’60s and ’70s, when a 3-0 spanking by Portugal or Belgium and a 5-0 humiliation at Wembley were the bread and butter, to the ecstatic and delirious moments of winning the World Cup and the European Championship. Les Bleus did not do so by accident, nor by chance.
In 1972, FFF (i.e. the French FA) decided to create an academy (called INF – Institut National de Football) that would be home to all youngsters wishing to embrace a professional career. This laid the foundations for a systematic and rigorous approach for detecting, nurturing and developing talent.
The first graduates were barely good enough for the average top division sides but slowly INF, based in the small and posh town of Vichy, started to produce flair players. Most importantly, the apprentices received an education so they could find a job should they fail in their quest of a career in football.
Back then it was a crucial factor for convincing parents to send their kids to become professional athletes. The INF philosophy was adopted by the clubs throughout the country, with the likes of Nantes and Auxerre making it a viable business model.
In 1990, the academy moved to Clairefontaine, a small village 30 miles south of Paris. A year later Thierry Henry and William Gallas were amongst the new recruits, followed by Nicolas Anelka in 1992. In subsequent years, other familiar names include Louis Saha, Jeremy Alliadière and Abou Diaby.
The first major trophy won by France was the European Championship in 1984 and was the reward for an exceptional generation of players. Two other pieces of silverware were collected in 1998 and 2000 partly thanks to the art of a genius named Zinedine Zidane.
However, it was the long term vision of FFF that made it possible, by providing the required infrastructure for producing top footballers. INF was the engine that drove French football from mediocrity to excellence.
From its inception to the first tangible results though, almost 30 years passed. French football fans under the age of 40 cannot grasp that but ask older followers and they will tell you that the success was worth the wait.
The second team I want to use for my argument is one we crossed swords with on the European stage a few weeks ago. We were beaten fair and square and we received an indication of the task that lies ahead if we want to reach the high standards we aspire to.
Of course, like many Gooners I wonder what might have been if we had our first eleven fit for both games but that’s another debate.
It is no coincidence that this Barcelona side reminds me of the Ajax of my childhood, even more frightening and possessing more pace. The majority of their key players and their current manager have been shaped in the same mould, imported from Holland to Catalonia by Johann Cruyff.
Thanks to the Dutchman, the genes of technique, movement and vision are implanted into the bodies and minds of the kids who kick the ball at Barca’s cantera.
Cruyff played for Barcelona from 1973 to 1978 and managed them between 1988 and 1996. More than their first ever European Champions Cup, won in 1992, Barcelona are indebted to him for his legacy.
Granted, the Catalan club were never short of money and even in the pre-Bosman era, Cruyff had managed to assemble a side, often referred to as The Dream Team, comprising of Spanish and foreign internationals. However he also insisted in developing the club’s academy and in promoting talented players like Pep Guardiola.
Cruyff’s Barcelona were spectacular but not invincible. The season after having lifted the most prestigious European trophy, they got knocked out in the qualifying round by CSKA Moscow. A year later they were back in the final and the clear favourites, only to be thrashed 4-0 by AC Milan. And yet, they will always be remembered as one of the greatest sides ever.
The Dutchman’s insistence that the teams, at all levels within the club, should play his way, was to become the key to the success of the Blaugranas during his reign and afterwards. Once the desired style of football was mastered throughout the ranks, it became Barcelona’s trademark and identity, something that cannot be lost or altered even when competition gets stiffer or trophies become scarce.
So building solid foundations (an academy along with its supporting
infrastructure) and acquiring a style of play that reflects the football values and principles to which every player adheres from a young age, have proved to be recipes for success in a sustained way.
The catch is that this method requires patience, a rare virtue in the world of professional football.
Arsenal are fortunate enough to have a manager who, not only has patience in abundance, but also has the humility to place the club’s future above his own immediate fate.
Thanks to his wisdom and vision, in years to come, the academy will propel into the first team more players of the calibre of Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs and they will all play the Arsenal way.
Success and silverware will follow, simply because they will be the natural consequences to reward the hard work. Be patient but be prepared because it is coming.
To sign off, I would like to share one of the greatest quotes I have ever come across. It is from Charles Goodyear, the man who dedicated his life to the invention of the process that makes rubber usable at all temperatures. He died in poverty and did not benefit personally from the commercial use of his invention and yet said :
I am not disposed to complain that I have planted and others have gathered the fruits. A man has cause for regret only when he sows and no one reaps.
I am sure Arsène Wenger will never have cause for regret, for we will surely reap the benefits of the Arsenal vision.
A bit About The Author:
Maziar’s love for the Gunners has its roots in his childhood. Born and raised in Iran, Maz discovered the Arsenal side of 1970-71 through the English football magazines. Even after moving to France in 1974 he continued to follow the Arsenal.
Maz works as an IT Consultant in the Telecom industry and lives in London, though his job shuttles him between London and Paris. He attends most of the Arsenal home games and the occasional away game.
He also keeps an eye on the French, Spanish and Italian leagues and like the other writers at Stone Cold Arsenal Towers, he eats, drinks, sleeps and breathes Arsenal and football.
Also, if you haven’t yet, we’d like you to subscribe to Stone Cold Arsenal to receive automatic updates of our content.
Tue 13th September 2011; 19:45, Dortmund
Was this article scheduled to be published before the Wigan match? I fear you might get quite a backlash for it as it goes up on Newsnow. The tenets are admirable but fans need the cathartic effects of a good moan over the next couple of days in response to the dismal events yesterday, now is not quite the time to ask them once again to buy into the future, despite the evidence of your case studies.
Carlos.
A backlash is no reason to detract from a vision. I agree that a serious one is due and if my first glance of the Arsenal blogosphere today is anything to go by, then the backlash is well and truly on.
My sense is that it’s always easier to look for an outlet for disappointment than to be strong in the face of adversity. I must admit, I did question whether this article would receive a backlash, but the more I think about it, the more I become convinced that there’s no better time than now to develop a sunny disposition.
It’s not to say that at SCA Towers we are not disappointed or dejected by the events over the last week. We also still believe that now is not the time to throw the baby, the bath water and the entire bathroom down Holloway road.
Yeah lets stick to this policy and also keep on track of getting beat by the likes of wigan and also are yearly smashing by united,chelsea and all the other bigger sides we face.
Bossy.
Wy don’t we debate an alternative solution that you think will work.
We could throw out Wenger and the entire team, but we know that’s not going to happen.
I tend to feel the easier way out for most people still inclined to stay in the bunker after yesterday’s Keystone cops performance is to scream “Bring me the head of Arsene Wenger”.
How do you propose we go forward.
we go forward by stopping arsene wenger buying mediocre players and over looking key facts that contribute to a winning formula.
Enouh time has been given to Arsene. This shortcomings of the team is nothing new.He is supposed to get quality players. Instead he gets Wilshire/Vela ect to loan them. Vela has been here for three years but has not been given a run to see what he can do. If he were sold it will be a waste of time getting such players.
During the Jan window the obvious problem areas were not addressed. Had Arsene got the necessary players things could have been different.
The goalkeeper has been a perenial problem area since Jens left. Nothing was done.
Arsene knows what has has to be done. I need not say the number one priority is play to win and not indulge in pretty soccer which gets you nowhere.Fans want a winning team not one passing all day with no end resulThis is the message fans want Arsene to know and follow up.
arsene wenger has gone stale,time for him to move on,even become the manager of the youth team.
I will be pilloried for this. If you watch Spurs against Chelsea you will see the lilywhites snapping at the blues thus denying them time and space.lamapard could have scored but Dawson stepped in to deflect the shot. When Wigan scored their third goals there was no gunner close to block him.
This is the difference between a team that knows how to defend.The gunners must recall the spirit of the Adams era and have have the mentality of yo only shoot over my dead body.
As it is the gunners defence has been a shambles the last few seasons. This is not the quality desired of a team planning to challenge.
Good article Maz. Thanks for highlighteing the need for patience which, despite the views of carlos, is very timely. I would say though that Arsene didn’t look like a man who had patience in abundance yesterday. A few polayers might be discovering that patience does not extend to indulgence over the next few days and weeks.
Robert and bossy? Hush now. Too much noise, too little substance. Just try and avoid believing everything that you read in the comics and watch on TV.
obviously bob you like getting beat by wigan settling for 3rd,loser mentality mirrored by our current team.
What did people expect? That we would somehow be a defensive fortress with basically the same team minus Ade and Touré with a new CB in Vermaelen?
We´ve seen a vast improvement from most of our young players and we were undone by possibly the worst gk duo in the entire league. We´ve been badly hit by injuries and are forced to rely upon players that aren´t yet leaders, capable of inspiring the team to raise their level.
What I believe we need is to find a first-class GK to steady the ship and a CB to challenge Gallas and Vermaelen. That´s 2 positions where we´ve lacked the necessary quality. Chamakh is on his way so a striker will come in.
We aren´t a million miles away contrary to what blogs and forums may tell you, but we need to erase the key weaknesses the club has ignored for several years. We now have money to spend and I firmly believe we´ll see a different Arsenal in the transfer market this summer.
Great article Maz! Thank you
I think Wenger has to both buy and develop. What makes the Barcelona kids excel for example is that they are put in with world class players. Bojan doesn’t have to team up with Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott instead he gets to team up with Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Same thing goes for Sergio Busquets who gets to play with Xavi and Iniesta. Just like Cesc had the opportunity to play with Vieira, Henry and Pires. That is how you develop young talent. You don’t throw them in the deep end with only each other to rely on! That hurts there confidence and that is what “kills” them as Arsene puts it not bringing in world class players!
I personally thought Wenger was on to something with our 2007-2008 team. That team had great balance and were unlucky not to take the title back to London.
Bringing world class players to Arsenal should not be a problem. We only have 2 or 3 flair players (I’m thinking RVP, Cesc and Arsh) which leaves plenty of room for others. We compete in 4 competitions every season which means we play a massive amount of games and we need more players that are in the squad to play and compete not learn. It has been proven time and time again that Wenger’s squad needs reinforcements!
Now to my favorite problem.. The goalkeeper. It is beyond me how this has not been addressed. You don’t go from having the likes of Lukic, Seaman, Lehmann and Manninger to have to persist with Almunia. Right now there are keepers on the market like Markus Neuer and Igor Akinfeev who are 24 years old. That means if you splash the cash they will theoretically play for you for at least 10 years to come. If that is not good business I don’t know what is!
Also the lack of defensive coaching needs to be addressed. We all saw what difference it can make in our run to the 2006 CL final. Keown came in and coached the defence and we broke a new record in minutes without conceding in the Champions League. I think we went 9 or 10 games without conceding a goal. Could you see that happening now?
Stunning piece of blogging.
Well done, Sir.
Thats all very well, but now there are rich arabs, etc who can spend millions & millions & millions to counter the years of careful team/club building like you say. This Wengerplan isn’t necessarily going to bring trophys, but a well researched article all the same. I bloody hope you are right
I get a feeling Arsenal is getting a new goal keeper this summer.
I speculate of course, but me thinks Wenger is eyeing Hugo Lloris, even though he’s specifically stated that Lloris might not leave Lyon this summer because Lyon are a rich club and they don’t need the money.
Consols, I watched the match again last night and Wenger’s reaction was that of a man at the end of his tether. I would be disappointed if he wasn’t for for he has invested a lot in realising a vision that is facing challenges in this last mile.
I don’t subscribe to the notion that Arsenal needs wholesale changes, and agree with those commenting on Maz’s post that the tweaks needed have to be implemented this summer.
Personally, I am happy to accept that we might struggle with the number and prevelance of injuries that we’ve had to key players and particularly Vermaelen, Gallas, Song, Fabregas, Arshavin and RVP.
What I find hard to swallow especially in the last two games is the lack of application and determination needed to see a job through. Both Tottenham and Wigan wanted it more than we did and that is an issue of maturity.
Despite that disappointment, I don’t believe by any measure that we should throw in the towel.
The team has 3 games to redeem themselves and finish the season with a modicom of respectability that they and the fans find acceptable.
gnarleygeorge9
I admire the Exacerbation, determined hope and expression of tested patience in your comment…LOL! Brilliant.
Cheers DS
My mojo is back
Go Go Gunners
Welcome aboard Maziar; Compliments for perceptively defining the long term perspective that’ll stand us in good stead.
I can see from the comments above that the defeats to Tottenham and Wigan have stung. No arguments there. For two thirds of the Tottenham game, and half of yesterdays, we did not acquit ourselves as a team hungry for and determined about the title chase. To me, the point isn’t that we lost, but the manner in which we did. Given that the title chase was open going into the games, the team disgracefully let itself and the loyal fan base down. That certainly wasn’t the stuff of champions, even accounting for the injury ravages.
I will second some of the comments above that any progress is contingent on better defensive staffing, better defensive coaching, and bringing the injuries down to manageable levels.
Failing these, this entire experiment risks winding up as an exercise in futility.
top notch post and good to see an opposing view to all the arsenal/arsene hating doing the rounds online
Saloner.
I get the sense that the team was given the opportunity to grasp the nettle and cross that elusive barrier, but the lack of maturity and determination of the Campbell type (who was brilliant in both games mind you) escaped the charges.
Like you, I am happy to accept defeat to a better team, but I find it hard to accept that we can firstly throw away a game in the manner we did and secondly, not apply ourselves professionally to a job as expected.
Wenger’s responses during and after the last two games tells a lot.
I salute you Maziar Shamsnejad. You are indeed a man of courage at a time when quite a few “FANs” have lost theirs. Arsenal’s star is still very bright for me and still getting brighter. This club has seen much worse and survived. The funny thing is that, those who cry crucify now will jump on the band wagon of joy when it comes. I have my patience in aboundance. People forget what the fans of the other 17 teams in the premiership have suffered for years. So I do not begrudge them their rare moments of joy.
Great article, I seem to remember Arsenal beating France 5-0 I think in a friendly at Highbury!
I hope the doom mongers read this blog and take note. Everyone who is calling for Wengers head need to remember he has done more for our club than just bring in immediate success. He has put in place an infrastructure that will ensure we are able to compete for decades to come.
He has also managed to keep us in the upper echelons of World Football whilst doing so. None of this should be underestimated.
@LRV and Drew10.
Life tells us that it’s easier to condemn and be critical as opposed to being courageous and having conviction especially when you face obstacles.
A section of Arsenal fans are like wounded animals right now and need a way to vent their anger. Arsene Wenger’s head on a stick outside Holloway Road tube station seems to be the preferred option.
I think the lack of context clouds the need for balance and sober reflection that will help the team build from here and continue to move on in the right direction.
I hear a lot about the ‘youth project’ supposedly being a failure. I think a more pertinent question is whether there is a collective failure to be patient and to appreciate the challenges and triumps of taken the road that we have taken to secure our long term future.
Egos have been bruised around the world and many Arsenal fans want this corrected.
Interesting post, Maziar.
I don’t agree, however, that French football was in as bad a state as you suggest it was, at least not during the 1970s & ’80s, when some very good players were plying their trade at strong clubs in France.
The French national team was delightful at the 1978 World Cup Finals, and it was a hardcore of that team that went on to win the 1984 European Championships, one of the most entertaining national teams of all time, in my book.
Platini, Tigana, Giresse, Tresor, Boli, Fernandes…
Darius,
If ever there was a time for a transfer window for football “customers” to be opened – so that Clubs could consider trading, swopping or even giving away for free those “customers” whose “support” they’d be better off without – then this is surely a good time to do so.
just wanted to say excellent blog…
I have faith in the future of the arsenal club, and find solace in the fact that there arent many fans out there who can share that sentiment….
Magneto. Touche on that customer transfer window.
I tell you I’d offer to drive buses for 2 shifts a day until we’ve shipped quite a few.
There’s a very big distance between rejigging the team and making the changes necessary to strengthen, whether it be in defence or goal keeping; and the extreme surgery being touted around, which is just knee jackery at best .
Speaking of the France team of the 80s, I was quite fascinated by Joel Bats who I think had a good World cup 86 especially against Brazil. Brazil felt hard done at the penalty shootout when one France penalty hit the bar before rebounding off the diving goalie – and the technical arguement was that it had hit the post and shouldn’t have been allowed.
Bats was great in that tournament though and for me typified the confidence of the rest of the team.
also enjoyed watching Jean Tigana and I thought after his career finished, his spell as Fulham manager could have been more successful
Darius,
I can’t recall, off of the top of my head, Joel Bats.
But I’ve been reminded since my first post above that France also reached the World Cup semi finals in both 1982 & 1986 – can’t believe I forgot that – further proof that French football wasn’t in such a bad state at the time, as suggested in the original post.
The French midfield with Tigana, Platini et al played sexy football long before Gullit uttered those immortal words on BBC television.
I felt that Tigana – who was the manager who took Fulham into the Premier League in the first place – never got anything like the credit he deserved for his achievements at that club. C’est la vie.
In terms of Arsenal, I’m sure that Arsene & the Board will keep their heads in the current hostile & volatile climate and do the right things necessary to progress the team even further next season…they don’t do panicking and are a safe pair of hands to steer the good ship Arsenal through the stormy waters ahead.
Magneto.
Bats was the Les Bleus goal keeper during that 80s era and did particularly well for them in the 86 world cup.
I was quite gutted when they were knocked out by West Germany who eventually lost to Argentina.
I know it’s a past generation, but I would have loved to see the likes of Tigana, and their contemporaries from around Europe like Littbarsky Matthias, Baggio et al in the EPL.
I grew up watching a lot of German football in the late 70s and through the 80s and it is interesting to reflect on the nuances that differentiated it from the other brands of European football. The Germans were as always more efficient with lots of brawn than you could say for countries that tended to lean on the side of flair like Holland and France.
When it comes to football being sex I think Ajax and their total football was an eye opener for me, even though the shenanigans of South American teams were well dominant at the time., albeit from a national point of view with Argentina and Brazil providing the magic mostly
I haven’t post anything here for a long long while due to many reasons.
There’s only one thing I will say after last night’s game: Arsenal may be a team going 5 years without a single trophy. But I still maintain my belief in the team, the manager, and most of the fans who although at times leaving us sad, but will never let Arsenal as a club down.
Arsenal FC is built on its great winning mentality and togetherness of all its resources.
Diceman….
…and it’s so aptly put in the club motto – ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’ (Victory through harmony)
I’m grateful to Darius for having posted my article, even more so on the back of such an unexpected defeat (although I finished writing it and submitted it in the late hours of Saturday).
I would just like to highlight that I’m not blind to the current problems of our team and in fact I would very much like to see SOME changes. The point I was trying to make here was that I have faith in the longer term future of the club and that I’m prepared to wait a few years. Of course I do not expect that all Gooners feel the same way.
With regards to the French football, it was not my intention to belittle the achievement of the 1980 generation! World Cup 1978 was a learning curve for Hidalgo’s team and they peaked around 1982-1984. Back then Belgium too had
a good national team (finalists of the 1980 European Championship, semi-finalists of World Cup 1986) but lately they have been second strings at best. French football did go backwards after Platini’s generation but bounced back quickly thanks to its academies. I could have taken the example of Holland but I chose France because I am more familiar with its history. My point was simply that a long term planning and a coherent project are likely to lead to success.
It is not just the fans who are impatient it is also the players. I do not believe Cesc will leave next year but how long will he wait while he watches us concede goals and shoot ourselves in the foot on defence while he works his “butt off”. Same with RVP etc etc.
We have to keep the academy strong but at the same time we need to win at some point or this team will 1) fall apart or 2) loose whatever self confidence it has.
Buiding for the future does not mean that can ignore winning now. We need sound investment next year especially in defence even if it means slowing down the progress of Djourou, Nortdviet or Sczeney (? sp). I believe several of our offensive reserves will be excellent especially . Wilshire, and JET but we do not really know for sure how good they can be and we can not stop building the 1st team while we wait for 4 years for them to mature. The really good young players will grow into the first team even if they have people in front of them on the current pecking order.
I accept that our financial situation did not allow for much investment between 2006 and last year, but both Arsene and the board say we are better off now. We need to keep building the academy but it is also time to start investing a lot more into the 1st team even if it does slow the growth of some of our younger players. The truly good young ones will still make it and the Bentley’s, Muamba’s, Aliadiadare’s, Lupoli’s etc etc etc will move on sooner.
maybe the wenger plan will not bring throphy for the minority glory hunter have craved straight away,but it will be more easy for the other futur managers after he left.
ok i m pushing on this one
He will leave a club in much healfthy position with a top youth academy,world class training ground,a fantastic stadium who bring million for the future transfer,and of course the best ladies side in the country
PS:INF Vichy still actually open but now are speciliazed in goalkeeper
Thanks for this enlightening article, Maziar, very interesting.
I am not too much of a student of the European game so you surprise me by saying that Barca were the favourites, when they played AC Milan, who I thought were very much the team, albeit financially doped, of the generation.
Your premise of building the team is a very good illustration of what has been going on at Arsenal, since the inevitable demise of the Invincibles. There was the problem of replacing outstanding players, whilst the club was having to use much of its financial resources to make the club itself world class, at a time when Chelsea were distorting the transfer market by doubling transfer values & wages. There have been very few true world class players made available at a sensible price, so we had to go down the route of getting the quality young & turning them into the game changers of the future, whilst still being competitive. What AW has achieved here is remarkable.
The question I always ask, the likes of bossy, is who were the game changing players, we could have bought these past 5 years, to replace PV4, DB10 & Le Bob etc. ? Never get an answer or logical argument from these people.
For them it will always be the Tottenham, Newcastle, Man City solution – sack the manager & change the players for lots of dosh, to end up where you were or worse.
The problem has been to keep the expectation under control. This side has come a long way, I believe we could have won the league this season but in our games against the 3 of probably 4 or 5 of the better sides than us in Europe, we have been taught some lessons. The harshest is that to achieve you have to work very very hard & concentrate for the whole 90 minutes of each & every game. Man U are perhaps the best example because on paper I think we overall have more quality than them but they beat us twice because they showed more commitment & sheer unremitting effort.
AW has to analyse who of this talented squad can augment their undoubted skill with the mentality I describe above, to do it game in game out, season in season out.
A bit of a shake up I feel but nothing too radical. The basis of this squad is 3 or 4 years from its peak. We have had to take the ups & downs , will probably continue to do so but that is what following a football team is all about.
Time for a wider perspective and balance to counter the D&G’s, see this site, all gooners must read:
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/2010/04/has-wenger-and-his-youth-project-utterly-failed/
Lovely piece, nice to hear that we really do have some positive support out there.
This is another good positive piece http://www.arsenalvision.co.uk/myvision.php?articleid=1598
I am getting so many compliments on my looks now! I will buy more asap!