Athletic's All Basque Policy (includes results of week 2)

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

Post your thought here for this will be a Big Topic in this Forum
(however, keep it smart and without Trolling)


Moderators please Sticky

[cachundo]

So are they angling for the likes of Mendieta?

[Pichi]

I wish Betis did the same and only signed Andaluces!

Just looking at the team this year there are 5-6 players from the cantera who are andaluces: Rivas, Juanito, Joaquin, Dani, Canhas, Capi. Three of these Capi, Juanito and Joaquin have been named to the national squad in the past year!

Saludos y Viva Er EuroBeti Manque Alfonso y Lopera!

Pichi

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

They Try but he is too expensive for Athletic.

Athletic have a hard time trying to negociate cheap deals, beacuase teams exploit the fact that since Athletic can only sign Basque players they can squeeze more money out of Athletic.

That is why they have an excelent Cantera and Youth system.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

Pichi , I am shocked by your response but Iam glad to hear it.

Rooting for Athletic is like rooting for your Home Nation in the Olympics.

[Pichi]

Originally posted by Bilbao2Brooklyn
Pichi , I am shocked by your response but Iam glad to hear it.

Betis's moving away from the cantera and signing expensive mercenaries is what got us into segunda division and we can all thank Luis Aragones for that fiasco. Fernando Vazquez and Juande Ramos had no choice but to go the cantera because Lopera had lost milliones on signing expensive players who did not pan out as expected. Look what we reaped and there is so much more talent in Segunda B, and Tercera Division Groups 9 and 10. Andalucia is a large region and with only 4 First division teams there is no excuse for more players from that region not to be playing on Andalucian teams.

Saludos y Viva Er EuroBeti Manque Alfonso y Lopera!

Pichi

[Juanele]

Originally posted by Pichi


Betis's moving away from the cantera and signing expensive mercenaries is what got us into segunda division and we can all thank Luis Aragones for that fiasco. Fernando Vazquez and Juande Ramos had no choice but to go the cantera because Lopera had lost milliones on signing expensive players who did not pan out as expected. Look what we reaped and there is so much more talent in Segunda B, and Tercera Division Groups 9 and 10. Andalucia is a large region and with only 4 First division teams there is no excuse for more players from that region not to be playing on Andalucian teams.


I agree with you. Sevilla is another club who has an excellent youth system as well. So far none this season have been snatched up like in past years.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

With all the Financial flops in soccer lately. the better the youth system the stronger your chances for the future. I think even Real Madrid and Barcelona will soon have to stop going outside their youth ranks, and promote players from their youth squad.

[cachundo]

pardon my ignorance, but what brought about the Basque-only policy? While it may be a good thing for regionalism, I think it's bad futbol.

It's a lot like Barcelona declaring themselves Catalan-only. Or Dutch-only. lol.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

They've always been Basque only.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

bump

[Mario]

sorry buddy but Barça destroyed "La Catedral" today!!!

[evilcrossbar]

A hypothetical question:

If Athletic were ever relegated (one of only three teams along with Barca and Madrid never to have been) and started languishing in second division, would they ever change their policy and have non-Basque players? Maybe allow only two or three in the squad or would they continue no matter what the cost?

As I see it, Athletic's youth system will probably prevent them from ever going down in the foreseable future, but they don't seem to have the talent to win trophies.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

Originally posted by evilcrossbar
A hypothetical question:

If Athletic were ever relegated (one of only three teams along with Barca and Madrid never to have been) and started languishing in second division, would they ever change their policy and have non-Basque players? Maybe allow only two or three in the squad or would they continue no matter what the cost?

As I see it, Athletic's youth system will probably prevent them from ever going down in the foreseable future, but they don't seem to have the talent to win trophies.

Interesting point. My guess is they wouldn't add non-basque players. It is a point of pride that the team is local(Basque region). Sort of like how Raul is so loved at Real Madrid cause he is from Madrid(and really talented.). And since their yourh system is strong i doubt They would go down.

[The Double]

Raul grew up as an Atletico Madrid fan.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

Originally posted by The Double
Raul grew up as an Atletico Madrid fan.
Yes excellent point, but i said he was from Madrid , and not a Real Madrid Supporter.

[megapolemico]

I think such policies are primitivism and xenophobia at its worst and shouldn't exist in today's global world. Unfortunately is not only Bilbao but other teams in the world that practice non-foreigners policy. Chivas rayadas in Mexico, Nacional in Colombia and El Nacional and Espoli in Ecuador are other examples.

I don't give a rat's ass about where are the players of my team from as long as they play good and win games and trophies.

But that's just my humble opinion...

[cachundo]

Do Real Sociedad have a similar policy?

[Mario]

Nope, they used to have a similar policy, however back in 1979 they finished second after lead the league almost the whole year just to see Real Madrid won it in the last fixture, the next two seasons they won the league including in their roster a couple of 'foreign' reinforcements (they were spanish too but not basques).

Right now they have in turk Nihat, yugoslav Kovacevic, russian Karpin and dutch int'l keeper Westerveld their main weapons to boost their campaign.

[dmar]

At the beginning of this season Real Sociedad signed their first player from the rest of Spain, a guy called Boris don't-remember-what who plays in the mid and is a sub of Alonso. Ironically, the same year they decide to end their fanatical exclusion of non-basque Spanish players they find themselves leading the league.