The Football Thread - 17/18 Season

[pastro243]

HomokHarcos said:
http://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/asian-football/837273/asian-football-will-have-their-own-mo-salah-in-time-come/
This article discusses whether there will ever be an Asian player at Salah's level.

Interesting article, but I have a little objection as a south american

Each and every year we see young players being bought by european clubs while playing just a few years here. Almost everyone goes after being tempted by money and the possibility to play in europe, yet most of them end up not playing and have to come back. 

Coaches here try to talk them out of going to Europe so young, they try to make them stay and consolidate instead of going away after just a breakout season, but kids come from poor families and believe they can be the next superstar. 

I like what clubs like Udinese have done. With Alexis Sánchez, they bought him when he was 16, but they didn't take him to Europe, they let him play here in Chile, play copa libertadores and sudamericana, win the league. Then, at 18, they didn't take him either, they loaned him to River Plate in Argentina, a stronger league but yet close to home and style. Then they took him to Europe at 19-20, he was already used to playing important competitions and having full responsibility so Italian league was something he could handle. 

You will always have players that can go out at 17-18 and play in important leagues as it was nothing (See Messi, Vidal or Salah) but just exporting young and undeveloped talent to Europe has made our leagues worse and those promising players end up ruining their careers and screwing up their potential.