Dennis Bergkamp channel

Unfortunately, that channel is quickly dissolving into just another Zinedine Zidane channel.

 

Just saw that again yesterday;

That is actually a pretty good channel, and definitely adds something. Good that he doesn't only show flashy compilations but also games against (the strongest) opponents. Including games with Inter against legendary AC Milan.

This one is excellent:


From other channels:




A pity that probably/possibly neither of the low countries will ever produce a technically refined, balanced and well-rounded player like this again, given societal changes (not all of them bad) and post-Bosman regulations that are definitely damaging for the smaller northern european countries.

Definitely among the 10 best players (probably five) of his generation and with 300+ career goals (very few penalties) and around 250 career assists quite productive too (for that time). One of the handful players to be of clear 'world class' level in both halves of the 1990s (imho). Had strong European campaigns with three different club teams too (1991-92 with Ajax, 1993-94 with Inter, 1999-00 with Arsenal), was top assister in two international tournaments (1998 and 2000) and topscorer in one (1992).

Like Michael Laudrup (who I'll rank slightly higher I think, but somewhat comparable fascinating player) his strength and stamina was often a bit overlooked.

 

That is my channel I created it because relative to other legends there was/is a dearth of material and it can help to point out things (I also uploaded two featuring Dalglish, two with Albert that are sadly deleted). There are simply not many NL fans around and unlike other countries it doesn't attract fans or followers from abroad.

Recently, the past two years or so, there are many Bergkamp videos that have surfaced (with more than the always repeated scenes) so at hindsight that wasn't totally necessary.





http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2o9xe7

 

Fo Sho!

I think it was Sol Campbell, back when he was still playing for Spurs, commenting on how Bergkamp was one of the strongest opponent he had to play against. I don't think it's so much that Bergkamp had strength, but he had great balance.

Could you explain why so?

 

Sorry, I had missed this, but I'll make a few brief comments.

To a certain extent it is regression to the mean. Between the mid 1960s and 2016 the Netherlands was #3 on the all-time Elo ranking (behind Brazil and Germany). This is also true for Belgium. Rather than expecting a 'Hazard on steroids' it is likely to expect a regression back with the next generation. The 2018 squad will by and large look the same as the 2014 squad. The Belgian (and Croatian too) academies have been largely driven by direct state aid and the mandatory FIFA training compensation. Both schemes are not lasting (there's already an EC case against Croatia in fact) and there's not an easy replacement (e.g. big TV money, big oil money).

We also still see a reluctance of clubs to invest in youth formation and academies. What is the point if each year under-18 and under-16 players walk out for free? Ajax for instance loses each year, on average, four youngsters for free to bigger clubs, literally for free. Same with Anderlecht, who has recently cut down their budget. It is a complex situation and the labor law doesn't help either (which depresses transfer sums compared to a Portugal because players/employees can move easily whenever they can make a 'position improvement' credible - that this holds for football too was established in the De Boer case of 1999, clubs run the risk that a low compensation is decided by the courtroom).

Both countries are also not part of the so called 'knowledge networks' that share practices, competitions and meet each other at places as the 'Aspire Academy'*) or the 'International Champions Cup'. It is maybe difficult to understand but it is practically a closed shop between the largest entertainment markets. Those also tend to have a gentleman's agreement with each other to not steal youngsters from each other (for free).

To some degree it has always been like that, with e.g. special meetings and tournaments between 'usual suspects' a year before a World Cup was played, but this underlines the point on regression to the mean. Both countries are too small as a country, entertainment market and too small as a language to be automatically part and in/near the center of those networks.

*) for ex. Xavi recently said: "It has allowed me to notice other training methodologies and other football concepts: I've seen training from Bayern, Milan, Conte's teams [...]. I like seeing all types of ideas."

In the future we can even expect cases where players are naturalized. Youngsters who move to e.g. Barcelona at the age of 10 and then start playing for Spain. There's enough material and examples to back up this assertion.

I didn't want to make it too long but hopefully this already gives some considerations.

 

Yes, the dynamics that favored the likes of Netherlands are no more. Demographic developments have clearly impacted the Netherlands ability to produce certain levels of players as they have in the past, the Surinamese influence obvious enough (Correct me if I'm wrong on that as I say that from an assumptive position)

The Bosman aspect I've also brought up previously, I believe in a prior conversation with @Gregoriak . That was, along with the advent of the Champions League, the leading representative factors for the transition towards the modern dynamics we see today.

As I said in that post, and feel stronger about even now, the future of football does not look good. Commercial interests already have a hold that is, for lack of a better word, 'unnatural', if referring to the fundamental dynamics that would occur absent interference in the marketplace, as UEFA consistently does with different rulings, thus skewing the true fundamental nature of competitiveness among countries in the global football market. (talent-wise and consequentially, financial-wise)

This imbalance of the fundamental equilibrium naturally spreads downstream. As great as Spain 2008-2012 was in a historical sense (3 major tournaments won in a row), they achieved something so unprecedented precisely because of the imbalance in dynamics at club level, brought by things such as the Champions League. When you have 2 of the Top 3 clubs in Europe representing Spain, that talent pool goes somewhere.

Portugal's recent fountain of youth in prospects they sprout? A combination of national cultural/social dynamics that put increasing value on football and having the most powerful agent in the world also be Portuguese.

The sport is in for some interesting times in the coming decades.

 

I will actually correct my previous post in regards to "Commercial interests" and replace that with "Financial interests". The issue pervades both privately and publicly.

@PuckVanHeel

 

My last point, however, on that is, not all the changes went against pure 'fundamentals'. The Bosman ruling opened the marketplace further, IMO, usually a good thing.

UEFA's rulings to make club football, particularly what was the European Cup, increasingly a play-thing of the uber-rich, is what has been and will continue to be a major piece in destroying football, IMO.

@PuckVanHeel

 

Interesting what you say. Can you elaborate and clarify on both instances?

Next to the 'agent' thing, the labor law and the linguistic advantage; maybe a country can also be "too rich". I.e. youth unemployment rate in Portugal of 24% (was 40% in 2013). Plus things as child poverty.

Europe already has the world's most advanced systems of welfare state, but still with some marked inequalities. pic.twitter.com/57B4sJhj1T

— EU Tax & Customs 🇪🇺 (@EU_Taxud) July 25, 2017

 

So I haven't researched into that specifically, but I just put together a few things I knew to be true. After taking a quick look at Netherlands wiki, my assumptions seemed correct. Now, whether the assumptions lead, or have led to a decline in Dutch football is one thing. I'd have to prove that. In addition, I'd have to prove how much of the issue is a function of that demographic development, although I believe if understood well enough it eventually explains anything.

Specifically, peak Dutch football 70s/80s/90s, was when demographics were rising, in turn due to immigration. I spoke of Surinamese specifically since, in my admittedly faulty knowledge of Dutch football, I note the distinction between team demographics in, say, the 1974 World Cup and the 1988 Euro (and onwards...). The influx of Surinamese influence in the latter seems a clear distinction.

My hypothesis being that the Netherlands, like the rest of Western countries, spent decades growing their respective populations significantly after World War II & that there was also a Surinamese immigration influx some time around Euro 88 because that's when I first remember Surinamese influence big-time in Dutch football.

So, Golden Generations, which for the Dutch I'd classify more in aggregate of Club + National team, specifically 70s & late 80s/90sish. Not consecutive time periods, but I'd say general periods of consistent presence of either Dutch club or NT at the top in respect to their levels of competition.

I think both periods benefited from population 'pops', occurring in periods of favorable conditions with respect to Dutch football and its ability to stay competitive relative to other countries.

The synergistic component of both producing both a rise in the quantity AND quality football talent available.

I could also be 100% wrong. But I doubt it. From cursory look at Netherlands wiki, it seems the population is indeed aging and there was Surinamese influx starting around 1970s, which seem to coincide pretty well with my fundamental assumptions but can't say for sure without researching further. That's the basic gist, I can expand further if you'd really be interested but explains general reasoning towards my think on Portugal well enough also.

 

Yes, I was curious about Portugal in particular. What I see is a steady decline in population since ~2008; a huge influx of immigrants as you've hinted at (compared to 1980s, 2000s); but also an ageing population pyramid.

http://www.indexmundi.com/portugal/age_structure.html
http://www.indexmundi.com/netherlands/age_structure.html

That influx of immigrants is probably very important and recently the proportion of 0-14 and 0-25 has risen again a bit, indeed, despite a falling population count.

But since you obviously know more, I was mostly curious about this. Thanks.

 

Ok, so with respect to Portugal I believe it is particularly important to have notion of historical context, specifically in relation to 1) It's prior economic prowess and 2) It's use of football as, contrary to what Marx implied of religion, as the true 'opiate of the masses' in recent times.

Simply put, Portugal, in the 20th century, began adjusting to its place in the 'new' world, one where its fortunate position, of having lands advantageously placed on coasts, was increasingly marginalized as a result of technological advances that gave benefit to other locations/countries that allowed their economies to overcome any geographical constraints. Meaning, quite simply, what gave Portugal benefits in prior centuries, was no more, at least not to the notable degree it did prior.

This leads to the second aspect I mentioned, football's use as 'an opiate of the masses', a clear, novel manner of dealing with large populations, of which Antonio Salazar, Portugal's 20th century dictator, was prominent, Through him, Benfica was able to succeed as the club of the people, dominating Portuguese and European football with governmental support. Eusebio, for example, was denied transfers out of Benfica purely for his importance to this underlying strategy. So, with Salazar, we had Portugal superseding their newfound 'natural constraints', limited as any country of its size find itself it to be, and as such had only a certain number of advantageous aspects to cling to.

With his fall, Portugal's former colonial prowess also fell and reality of its geographical and economic constraints bore increasing reality. One way of dealing with this? Entering a larger, powerful economic union (EU) that helped, at least for now, overcome, these constraints. (these points I'll expand on in a later post)

But still, Portugal had a number of fundamental aspects that meant they had advantageous positions in the footballing market namely 1) Historical prowess as a result of former dictatorial ambitions (resulting in continental/international success in the 1960s both in terms of club and international football (Benfica + Portugal 1960s success) 2) Geological dynamics that allowed it to be a natural access point for quality non-European footballers, namely from Brazil 3) Historical ownership of African colonies that have resulted in numerous pathways of footballing talent to their national teams, clubs, etc.

Specifically to these points, particularly the last, I'll reference the rise and prominence of former Portuguese colony-based footballers in Portuguese football, and especially the Portuguese national team, with the Euro 2016 final winning team, containing many 'African'-based players, as well as Brazilian.

I'll consider this as a "Part 1" of the overall post I intended on writing, as it admittedly became more elongated than I anticipated.

 

Good post. Keep it up

Also noticed that Portugal last hosted a Champions League final in 2014 and then a tournament (final) in 2004 (although chances in the near future will be smaller for sure).

Netherlands for the last time in 1998 and 2000. The guarantees by government and the Calvinist mentality among 'leaders' has perhaps a relationship to it.

The UEFA and FIFA manipulators have from time to time always tried to freeze out Holland with various downgrades and regulations in my honest observation. With the three usual suspects always at the FIFA steering wheel.

 

So ultimately the story comes down to this, Portugal is a dying country. There has been a brain drain occurring in the country for a very long time, particularly in the last decades since the fall of Salazar. Paris alone has probably more Portuguese people than most, if not all, Portuguese cities.

The country, formerly relying on a geography and thus economic capacity/potential that no longer exists, is clinging to its historical place in the global context, but in a current sense, Portugal does not have that. Portugal no longer imposes itself on the world in the way it used to in prior periods. But there is one global aspect they are able to impose themselves on and make themselves known, football. Football, a tool that has already been used as an effective propaganda tool in the country. Essentially, government corruption.

I've been in tune with Benfica day in and day out for two decades now, and I know fishiness when I see it. Porto used corruption and control of the system to beget their own success in the past, but the pendulum has swung to Lisbon and alls I see is the majority of the country's population, of which are Benfica fans (50%+), being entertained and made temporarily happy every weekend. On and off the field, it is clear that Benfica is not being subject to the same rules as others.

Benfica's transfer operations are a function of Jorge Mendes, who himself is a function and representation of the global, modern era of football. Benfica is part of some 'Jorge Mendes Cabal' that interlinks transfers with the likes of Porto, Monaco, Valencia, Wolverhampton, Atletico, for the most part. Very odd, high transfer values conflicting clearly with reality have been seen.

This level of in-your-face corruption does not exist if the government actually cared about it. But what short-term incentive does Portugal's government have to not allow this to continue? It's quick, simple, and it gives Portugal some relevance on a global stage, significant in this case as we are discussing the most global sport there is and ever will be.

In essence, this overtly and clear focus on football, at a national level, has resulted in the obvious fruits of success. Add to that, Portugal can incorporate talents from geographies that exceed their own lands. Their best players historically, CR7 & Eusebio, weren't even born in the mainland. Nor was Coluna and many others. Any talent, even today, that shows a serious glimpse of development from any former Portuguese colony, will end up playing for Portugal. And clearly, these colonial roots extend so deep that Portugal is able to lure Brazilian-born talents like Deco and Pepe, who will remembered in football as great players in their positions, to come and represent the shirt.

And yes, Jorge Mendes clearly has his way with the operations of global football, which gladly opens its respective legs to him as long as he can direct cash to their pockets, and in turn, to his own pockets. Football is a funny game these days.