Keane blast for young Guns

Sunderland boss attacks Arsenal youth policy

By Chris Harvey   Last updated: 9th October 2008

Keane blast for young Guns

Keane: Frustrated by Arsenal youth policy

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Roy Keane has taken a swipe at Arsenal's youth policy, claiming they do not deserve credit for developing their young talent.

The Sunderland boss believes Arsene Wenger does not deserve all the credit for their crop of young stars, claiming they bring in many talented teenagers from other clubs at home and abroad.

Keane also admits the Black Cats have problems themselves in luring young talent to the Stadium of Light.

The Sunderland boss told The Sun: "The word on the street is they (Arsenal) have a group of kids coming through that will be absolutely outstanding.

"But you go on about the kids coming through but a lot of them have been bought from other clubs, not through the academy at Arsenal. It's the same with Chelsea."

The Gunners have paid big money to bring the likes of Theo Walcott, then 17, to the Emirates while Cesc Fabregas was lured from Barcelona's youth system. Their latest recruit, 17-year-old Aaron Ramsey, was brought in this summer after impressing for Cardiff City.

Chelsea have also poached a number of young players from other clubs' academies, notably Leeds United duo Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo.

Keane casts envious eyes on Wenger's ability to bring the best youngsters to Arsenal but admits he has a tough job attracting Wearside's top young stars.

He said: "We have tough battles up here in terms of signing young players and are restricted in terms of our location.

"You can only bring in kids from a certain radius and a lot of our radius is in the water. Any good fish out there?"

Comments (11)

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Tom H (Arsenal fan) says...

Anthony Stokes anyone? It takes years for an academy to produce quality premiership players. Now we are starting to see the fruits of the labour. Fair enough we have bought young talent but we have also given them the chance to blossom when other teams buy the finished article (Chelsea - how many of their young aquisitions have actually forced their way into the first team?). Keane shouldn't complain because Arsenal have supplied the premiership with many a player, Sidwell, Bentley, Upson, Muamba, James Harper and even players like Seb Larsson and Ashley Cole. When Keane says the word on the street is Arsenal have a good bunch of kids coming through, he is not far of the mark. Jack Wilshere, Mark Randall, Jay Simpson are all promising players and have been at the club for years and will be products of our youth system. Watch them take them their place in the first over the coming years. Any manager can buy a player, but it takes a special manager to help that player realise their potential! Keane should be taking notes, it could make him a better manager. Sunderland have spent more than Arsenal for two years running, value for money?

Posted 10:56 9th October 2008

Jay Roger (Arsenal fan) says...

Was this the same Alex ferguson who got turned down by Ramsay? there are a quite a few english players coming through the system but im sure all of these were ready made players when they were at school at the age of 12? You have to give wenger and his team credit for firstly scouting the talent and then developing the talent. A player at 15 (fabregas) is not the finished article, he just has potential. How many players are there that dont live up to their potential? most of the premier/ championship teams have atleast one player that has come through the arsenal ranks

Posted 10:50 9th October 2008

Alex Hinchliffe (Arsenal fan) says...

I find it very interesting that Pilirani Namalomba (Chelsea fan) has noted that we always buy finished talent. when you look at the sums Chelsea have spent on players, interesting that this comment comes out in the current financial climate. we weren't the only ones who were after Ramsey, United Everton we also, I believe when Robinho was for sale before the Madrid move chelsea were after him and were offering a hell of a lot of money for him so you guys cannot complain of offering vast money to young players to develop them. Perhaps there needs to be a change in the way youth football is run but once again it cannot be implemented at just PL level it needs to be at least UEFA level. And for the sceptics of the depth in arsenal's squad at youth level and the talent there all you need to do is look and watch a reserve or youth match and you guys will want to see where your club compares(if it even does)

Posted 10:49 9th October 2008

Jonathan Daly (Arsenal fan) says...

I feel that Keane is wrong here. Arsene Wenger is signing these young players at an age where all the hard work in terms of development, tactical awareness, fitness and professionalism has yet to be done. Between the ages of 12-16 the natural ability of these players will always shine through regardless of what club they are with. I don't believe they learn nearly as much as Keane suggests. At this young age they are only standing out because of the talent they were born with. Therefore the credit that these smaller clubs deserve is minimal. What they learn at these clubs between the ages of 12-16 doesn't even compare to what they will learn about the game when they move to a big club like Arsenal. Besides, a lot of the English Arsenal players coming through at the moment have come from the academy.

Posted 10:47 9th October 2008

Robert Johnson (Arsenal fan) says...

I wouldn't listen to a manager who spent £9mil on Craig Gordon lol. The kids they are talking about now at Arsenal ARE coming through the academy. Wiltshire, Lansbury, Randall, Gibbs, Emmanuel Thomas, Gavin Hoyte are all coming through and there are even younger players behind them with high hopes. Keane should be quiet and get on with his job.

Posted 10:34 9th October 2008

Ross Jenkins (Manchester United fan) says...

Once again, Keano has hit the nail on the head. Arsenal do little more than pinch the best from others' academies. You can't deny that Mr. Wenger has an eye for talent, but he should look closer to home a lot more. It was proved last season and is already being proved this season, the young foreigners that are being brought in by Arsenal lack that one, vital championship-winning characteristic - traditional grit; the ability to play poorly and pick up a point when you deserve none, or all three when you deserve just the one. Chelsea have gritty players in Ballack, Drogba and Lampard. United have them all over the pitch in Hargreaves, Fletcher, Rooney and Tevez to name a few. While Arsenal continue with their youth policy, they're not going to come close to winning the title this year again.

Posted 09:20 9th October 2008

Graham Orr (Manchester United fan) says...

Keano is absolutely correct. Wenger gets so much credit for unearthing previously ¿unknown talents¿. But it is their home town clubs which should get the kudos. Arsenal has one of the best scouting networks in football today. They have people in place all over the world. But all they do is keep their ear to the ground, hear about a promising talent who has been trained, developed and educated by their home town clubs and then when the hard work is done between ages 12 - 16 Arsenal swoop and sign them, and Wenger gets all the credit. This has been happening for years. I realise a lot of big clubs are also doing this now but not to the same extent of Arsenal!!!! Not so bad with Fabregas been nicked from Barcelona, they are a massive club so I don¿t feel too sorry for them. But what about the likes of less wealthy clubs such as Cardiff (Ramsey), Sao Paulo (Denilson), Cannes (Clichy), Bastia (Song), Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (Bendtner), and PSG (Diaby) who have seen their promising talents swiped from them for a fraction of what will most likely be their true worth. I really thing FIFA should look at this and perhaps put in place a rule where young talents must stay at their home town club until about the age of 22 or 23, and then be able to sell them on. The clubs would earn probably 50- 75% more then they would if they sold them at 16.

Posted 09:13 9th October 2008

Pilirani Namalomba (Chelsea fan) says...

Mr Keane is right, If Mr Wenger was such a brilliant youth developer he would not have been bothering himself to cough out large sums of money for young players. He is always after what has already been developed

Posted 08:59 9th October 2008

Chris White (Arsenal fan) says...

Sorry Roy. The carling cup team the other night had a number of players brought up through the academy.But your missing the point. You can buy the talented young player..but that doesnt mean hes going to be a great player. You've got to guide him,develop him and nuture him. Something Arsesne Wenger is a master at. And he plays them! Chelsea (and now days Fergie) buy them when they've already been developed into a star by another club.

Posted 08:55 9th October 2008

Paul Stevens (Manchester United fan) says...

Keano is absolutely right. For too long Wenger has taken the plaudits for the youth system at Arsenal when really all they do is buy teenage footballers in bulk from across the world and spend more money on them than any other club rather than ready made players. For all the young players that Wenger has ever turned into decent footballers (fabregas, henry and urm Cole?) Ferguson has an army to pick from Scholes Giggs Both Nevilles Butt evra Ronaldo anderson fletcher brown o shea solskjaer beckham Ince Sharpe it goes on and on and on...

Posted 08:53 9th October 2008

Andy C (Newcastle United fan) says...

Sounds like sour grapes from Keano how can you class paying 12million for a 17 yer old player poaching? I would class it as a massive risk (which is starting to pay off) = good manager!!!! Money talks at the end of the day Keano dont buy has beens try buying up and coming stars

Posted 08:21 9th October 2008
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