[Archived] Blackburn the new Arsenal?

[Gav]

I’m not really sure if anyone has touched on this yet, but it seems to me that we’re looking at the Arsenal model and trying to follow suit under Kean and Venkys.

The days of spending millions of pounds on average players is reaching saturation point for me, and with the links to young players from around the globe, It seems to me we’re looking at building the club from the academy up.

Whilst these young recruits could be nothing more than agent hype, it’s a refreshing approach, and one that really gets me excited for the future.

Will we ever be as good as Arsenal? Well I doubt it because despite the media having us believe different, they do pay lots of money for young players, Eduardo being one off the top of my head that was bought for millions and put in the youth team. But even if we’re half as good as Arsenal, it’s a darn site better than what we’ve seen at Ewood for many years now, and I for one welcome the approach, and have the feel good factor back for the first time in many a year.

[budha]

Eduardo was bought by Arsenal when he was 24 and certainly wasn't put to the youth team.

[BuckyRover]

It's a tried and tested model. It needs moderate investment and vision to sustain. Something that we didn't have under the Trust.

It goes some way to understanding why we were sold to Venky's. They certainly have a plan. I imagine we will be under the radar for a while and then suddenly we will have a very decent team with strength in depth. We will also get a reputation across the globe (academies in India and South America).

I also predict that the glum gang (featuring Miseryman) still won't be happy.

[slough_rover]

Im sure Jensen mentioned that we would try to adopt their playing style when he signed. Why not.

[Kelbo]

I touched on this subject a while ago, what we must remember though is this, it took Arsenal quite some time to reach this level and they have a much larger and better coaching team than we have a Rovers.

To reach the kind of levels Arsenal are at could take 5 years or more, this could be fast tracked to a degree with the South American contacts but I would prefer Europeans as we know more about their characters and mentality, this is a prime area for Wengers model and however good they may be, a player will not be signed if Wenger believes their mentality is not right.

[BangkokRover]

Arsenal only have to play 3 games at home and they earn more money than Rovers earn all season from Ewood.

Best Rovers can hope for is to pair up with a large European team and get lots of very high quality people on loan. But with the way work permits are give out in the UK it's difficult to see how that would work.

[Gav]

Eduardo was bought by Arsenal when he was 24 and certainly wasn't put to the youth team.

Think I was getting mixed up with the 'kids' that Wenger played in the league cup against us when Eduardo first arrived.

[LeChuck]

Very premature this Gav!

All our money so far has been spent on six month loan deals for 29 year olds. Even though they are loans, the cost will still run into millions.

If we ignore transfer rumours then we've actually regressed into short-termism, not progressed towards an Arsenal-like model.

Hopefully we can get some younger players in to balance this out, but it's something that worries me. No successful team relies on six month loanees as key squad members.

[b12_simon]

I think you're being a tad premature but as long as the manager doesn't turn into a myopic whiner like Arsenal's I'd be all for it.

[Sverre]

Very premature this Gav!

All our money so far has been spent on six month loan deals for 29 year olds. Even though they are loans, the cost will still run into millions.

If we ignore transfer rumours then we've actually regressed into short-termism, not progressed towards an Arsenal-like model.

Hopefully we can get some younger players in to balance this out, but it's something that worries me. No successful team relies on six month loanees as key squad members.

Can't say I agree with you. Most likely we will sign Rochina and possibly Ronieli Gomes, both 19 years old, before the window shuts. Clearly, those potential signings are for the future. I'm not saying that we can even compare ourselves with Arsenal, but it seems like Kean is interested in securing players for the future.

In any case, Steve Kean's aim in the January window was to get in proven players that could help strengthen the already weak and injury prone squad. With the exception of an offensive midfielder, I think Kean has succeeded in that. Both Roque and Jones have performed above expectations.

The summer window will be the best benchmark in terms of signing up and comers. January window, for me, is more of a window to replace players with long term injuries or to strengthen, if necessary, a position or two.

I must add that loaning a player such as Santa Cruz, is a better option than to buy him. It would be silly if we bought him now, should he get another season long injury within a short period. Now if he remains injury free, I would prefer us to secure him permanently in the summer.

[AHoyle90]

Signing players for the future does't mean your following the Arsenal 'model'. We are using our new owners, and their contacts around the Football world to bring in some quality and some promising players for the future. We are also bringing players through that we have had on our books since 12 years of age, which is the most encouraging thing.

[Majiball]

Arsenal only have to play 3 games at home and they earn more money than Rovers earn all season from Ewood.

Best Rovers can hope for is to pair up with a large European team and get lots of very high quality people on loan. But with the way work permits are give out in the UK it's difficult to see how that would work.

A link to a spainish club is what we need.

That way we can buy south american players via that club and loan them to ourselves getting around the owrk permit issue as spain doesn't require one for themselves.

If they turn out to be world beaters the spainish club can have first refusal.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I can't provide links - but I am sure both our owners and Steve Kean have expressed their admiration of the "Arsenal" model.

Even on a cheap scale - it is with out doubt the way for Rovers to go.

IMO the signing of the older players is to stabilise the club and maintain a healthy league position. Also - lets not forget these players are only loans.

Arsenal have taken to the extreme the model of buying young talent - usually expensive (aka Walcott). But years ago it was the basis of the Liverpool model - who bought talent from the lower leagues and slowly introduced. I think where Liverpool had it right - they were prepared to spend big to buy the finished article - i.e. Dalglish.

Lets see where it takes us - just nice to be buying somebody - whether young or not.

[McClarky]

A bit premature, we ain't even signed any of these young players yet. All we have is rumour and speculation, including some pretty old players as well. Ask the same question in 5 years and you might get the start of a sensible answer to it.

[Benjimino]

It is early doors, but I can see the wheels starting to turn towards a brighter future, I wouldnt like to say 2,3 or even 5 years down the line because anything can happen i.e venky's losing interest and flogging the club to whoever.

I must say that my initial fears about the takeover are starting to subside, I can see the "top 4" club in the not too distant future.

[BangkokRover]

A link to a spainish club is what we need.

That way we can buy south american players via that club and loan them to ourselves getting around the owrk permit issue as spain doesn't require one for themselves.

If they turn out to be world beaters the spainish club can have first refusal.

Shame that will not work due to the work permit situation.

[blue_and_white]

******* hope not. Miserable moaning manager, arrogant preachy fans, valuing pretty passing over getting results. Arsenal, for their level, are losers.

[Majiball]

Shame that will not work due to the work permit situation.

I was under the impression Spain and Portugal had slightly different rules for South American players and that it's much easier to get them the initial permit in those countries.

[BuckyRover]

I was under the impression Spain and Portugal had slightly different rules for South American players and that it's much easier to get them the initial permit in those countries.

That is my understanding also.

[BigUts]

I think Portugal is the easy one due to the Brazil link. You tend to see a fair few young Brazilians plying their in Portugal.

[joey_big_nose]

I was under the impression Spain and Portugal had slightly different rules for South American players and that it's much easier to get them the initial permit in those countries.

To be honest all of continental Europe seems to have a much larger amount of SA players. Tons in Germany, Spain, Portugal, France and Turkey. I think broadly speaking British immigration has much tougher guidelines than most other European countries.

[philipl]

Not today we weren't.

[BangkokRover]

In response to concerns that clubs were increasingly passing over young British players in favour of signing less-expensive foreign players, in 1999, the Home Office tightened its rules for granting work permits to players from countries outside of the European Union.Currently a non-EU player applying for the permit must have played for his country in at least 75 per cent of its competitive 'A' team matches for which he was available for selection during the previous two years, and his country must have averaged at least 70th place in the official FIFA world rankings over the previous two years. If a player does not meet those criteria, the club wishing to sign him may appeal if they believe that he is a special talent and "able to contribute significantly to the development of the game at the top level in the UK." One area where the Premier League's player registration rules are more restrictive than those of some other football leagues, such as those of Belgium and Portugal, is that academy level non-EU players have little access to English football by law.

This is why Wenger has been busy hoovering up the EU talent since he got to Arsenal. Even Cesc Fabregas is counted as Home Grown player for the EPL.