Let's put second string in lower league
Mar 20 2007
by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo
RAFA BENITEZ believes a radical overhaul of the reserve league is required in order to nurture more young talent through the ranks.
The Liverpool boss says the current second string format isn’t providing enough experience or competitive football for those seeking to step up a level.
"It is clear that the reserve league doesn't work,” said Benitez. “You can see youngsters playing just 18 games a season, that is nothing. Certainly not enough for the development of these players.
"We can go a month without a reserve match, it is crazy. You then play against teams full of senior players.
"It is something that we can improve in this country. Or if we do not change we will find other solutions, sending youngsters out on loan like I have done recently.
"We have a mix of local players and foreign players, and that is the key in the future. You need local players because they have passion, but you need quality as well and sometimes you can buy a player with more quality who is cheaper from abroad.
"We must look at these kind of things for the future.
"I do not see a reserve team with four or five senior players playing without passion.
He added: “These games are for young players.
"Between 18 and 21-years-old in this country, the players do not know what to do. If they are good enough at 18 they are with the first team but on the bench all the time.
"Then if you want to improve their level you must change the reserve league system.”
Benitez believes the Spanish system, in which top clubs have a second string which can play in a lower division, is far superior to that in England.
His views echoed those recently expressed by Jose Mourinho, who felt Chelsea’s reserves should be able to join the league at a lower level.
"I was the manager of Castille, Real Madrid's reserve side, and I had players who were 18, 19-years-old playing in the Spanish second division championship,” explained Benitez
"They were playing against men. They were winning and we finished sixth and fourth. The question is what improves the quality of the players.
"It is something that must improve here.
"I would like to see reserve teams of the big clubs like ourselves playing in the Football League. Why not if they have enough quality?
"That will bridge the gap between the youngsters and the first team. If you do not give young players the chance to play competitive football and to learn things, things become impossible.
"It is something that needs to change, clearly. I have been here three years and have talked to many people about this, and what I see is players who are 17-years-old and cannot progress.
"How can you use a 17-year-old in the first-team, unless he is a really top talent like Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney or Michael Owen? Players of that ability can play in the Premier League, but you have to be special to do that so young.
"The rest of the lads need to play at another level, but the reserve league is nothing. I am not sure about them playing in League Two, either, they need to be playing against good players, then they will learn more."
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...name_page.html
Mar 20 2007
by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo
RAFA BENITEZ believes a radical overhaul of the reserve league is required in order to nurture more young talent through the ranks.
The Liverpool boss says the current second string format isn’t providing enough experience or competitive football for those seeking to step up a level.
"It is clear that the reserve league doesn't work,” said Benitez. “You can see youngsters playing just 18 games a season, that is nothing. Certainly not enough for the development of these players.
"We can go a month without a reserve match, it is crazy. You then play against teams full of senior players.
"It is something that we can improve in this country. Or if we do not change we will find other solutions, sending youngsters out on loan like I have done recently.
"We have a mix of local players and foreign players, and that is the key in the future. You need local players because they have passion, but you need quality as well and sometimes you can buy a player with more quality who is cheaper from abroad.
"We must look at these kind of things for the future.
"I do not see a reserve team with four or five senior players playing without passion.
He added: “These games are for young players.
"Between 18 and 21-years-old in this country, the players do not know what to do. If they are good enough at 18 they are with the first team but on the bench all the time.
"Then if you want to improve their level you must change the reserve league system.”
Benitez believes the Spanish system, in which top clubs have a second string which can play in a lower division, is far superior to that in England.
His views echoed those recently expressed by Jose Mourinho, who felt Chelsea’s reserves should be able to join the league at a lower level.
"I was the manager of Castille, Real Madrid's reserve side, and I had players who were 18, 19-years-old playing in the Spanish second division championship,” explained Benitez
"They were playing against men. They were winning and we finished sixth and fourth. The question is what improves the quality of the players.
"It is something that must improve here.
"I would like to see reserve teams of the big clubs like ourselves playing in the Football League. Why not if they have enough quality?
"That will bridge the gap between the youngsters and the first team. If you do not give young players the chance to play competitive football and to learn things, things become impossible.
"It is something that needs to change, clearly. I have been here three years and have talked to many people about this, and what I see is players who are 17-years-old and cannot progress.
"How can you use a 17-year-old in the first-team, unless he is a really top talent like Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney or Michael Owen? Players of that ability can play in the Premier League, but you have to be special to do that so young.
"The rest of the lads need to play at another level, but the reserve league is nothing. I am not sure about them playing in League Two, either, they need to be playing against good players, then they will learn more."
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...name_page.html
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