The Ones That Got Away: Real Madrid Cantera

The transfer policy of Real Madrid is supposed to be a balance of Super Star imports, the best Spanish players that money can buy and the cantera. Well of late, the first two criteria have been very true, but the cantera or youth academy/development has been pretty poor. Well, poor for Real Madrid, that is. Most youth players have had very little chance of breaking the starting eleven as the team demanded instant results. The club required proven players and the jump for Segunda B to Primera was deemed to steep.

The most recent opportunity emerged when Castilla was promoted from Segunda B (the third division) and played in Segunda A (the second division in Spain). This opportunity to rejuvenate and repurpose the cantera, really came to nothing. Several players left Castilla after promotion because they saw the writing on the wall and wanted first team football. Only Miguel Torres (now at Getafe) broke through to the Real Madrid first team. Add to that, Real Madrid really didn't have the players in Real Madrid C to replenish Castilla, so they were relegated two years later, back to Segunda B. All in all, a very short term, short sighted approach to youth development and promotion.

That said, many Castilla and Real Madrid C players have moved on to play in other teams in La Liga and have flourished. One might say that the purpose of Real Madrid's cantera is to prepare players to play in the rest of the Spanish league. But is this really something Real Madrid should be proud of? Or is it merely a waste of resources and lack of vision?

Here is a list of some of the active ex Real Madrid canteranos, now plying their trade elsewhere:

Samuel Eto'o (Inter), Juan Mata (Valencia), Borja Valero (Villarreal), Luis Garcia (Espanyol), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla), Roberto Soldado (Valencia) , Dani Parejo (Getafe), Jose Callejón (Espanyol), Juanfran (Atlético Madrid), Javi Garcia (Benfica) to name a few.

What do these players have in common? Attacking players who were given very little chance to reach their potential and play for the club of their youth and dreams. Unfortunately, they were not deemed important enough by the President, directors and coaches, who were more worried about their positions and instant success.

With the departure of Guti and Raúl (who originally came from Atlético), Iker Casillas is the only home grown canterano playing in the first team. Iker was scouted, formed, developed, promoted to, and succeeded in the first team. I guess you should also include Alvaro Arbeloa and Esteban Granero. But they were initially sold by the club, and later bought back, once they proved their worth at Liverpool and Getafe, respectively.

Is this really a successful youth policy? Is this the price of success?

Forza Futbol Video: Gone, Guti Gone

When I recorded the audio I never thought it would amount to much, I mean it was a weird karaoke song I pulled out of my friend's collection, but I was listening to the track and it was right around the time Guti was negotiating with Besiktas and a couple of clubs in England if I remember correctly, but there it was, with a little help from Elisa, I had the lyrics in about an hour. Easy as pie.

Guti's Leaving Madrid

 
Adios, to a real club legend: Jose Maria Gutierrez Hernandez (Guti).