This seems a somewhat strange topic to write on, given that Great Britain has had an arm’s length relationship with Olympic football. Hence some comments are in order. A couple of weeks back, GN5 wrote a fantastic post on the first World Cup in 1930, which Uruguay won. Before that date, national football was the domain of the Olympic Games. Uruguay had won both the 1924 and 1928 Olympics gold medals in football.

Encouraged by GN5’s post, I did a bit of background research on the Olympics. This turned into a Gargantuan project, and in the process I unearthed a lot of interesting insights that were largely new to me. This information I plan to organise into a series of 3 posts to fill in part of the lean “transfer” ( 😛 ) season. My general argument is that staying away from the Olympics has been to the detriment of England team’s World Cup prospects. You AAers are the best judge as to how persuasive this argument is.

Today is the first of the three, focusing on youth development. The second will focus on Arsenal stars in Olympics football. The third will be on the controversies behind, and future prospects for, British involvement in Olympics football.

What does Olympic football have to do with youth development in football? Quite a bit, I would argue. Indeed, Olympics football is now the equivalent of youth World Cup in national football. Since the 1992 Barcelona Games, men’s Olympic football has changed from an amateur tournament to an under-23 competition, with three over-age players allowed per squad. Qualification for the main draw is based on under-21 competitions.

With England’s failure to progress beyond the group stage this year, the focus is firmly back on youth development. Olympics, anyone? FA? Dyke, Pearce, Hodgson? 🙂

At the outset, let us have an Arsenal focused perspective. In the 1912 Olympic Games, as host nation, Great Britain entered the men’s football competition after a long break. Opinions on whether professional players should participate in Olympic football varied, but the mainstream view is that Olympic football is for amateurs not professional footballers.

In April 2012, David Seaman said: “[As a player] if you get the option it’s a big decision. … Obviously representing Great Britain would be a massive honour, but I was a professional for 22 years and I don’t think I would have done it. I don’t think it’s for professional footballers – I’ve always felt it should be left to the amateurs.”

A year before, Wenger in March 2011 said: “In the professional game we see the Olympics football as an obstacle rather than as a motivation. … I think the Olympic Games is not about football, it is about track and field. Football for me never looked to be a highlight of the Olympic Games.”

That may well be a valuable perspective, particularly when it relates to senior professional footballers. However, two issues remain. First, the above mainstream view is not inconsistent with a youth developmental perspective. Do major footballing nations use Olympics football for grooming young players and providing them experience at the world stage?

Second, what about scouting? Can the Olympics be used to identify young footballers who would be future world stars?

To explore these issues further, I report the uptake from Olympic squads for some leading footballing nations in the 2014 World Cup, focussing on members from the corresponding Olympics teams from the 2012, 2008 and even 2004 Olympic Games.

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Argentina men’s football team participated in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, but not 2012. 7 out of the 37 players in those 2 squads were included in the 23 in Brazil 2014. Mascherano 30, Zabaleta 29, Gago 28, Lavezzi 29, Di María 26, Messi 26 and Agüero 26. Let us not forget some other prominent names from 2004 as well who were probably too old by 2014: Ayala, Coloccini, Tevez, Heinze and Figueroa.

Indeed, what a remarkable collection of stars? I have included current ages in the list above so that one can have a sense of how the Olympics were used for youth development.

Ah, well, the sceptic among you may say, maybe Argentina were a bit different. Not in the slightest. Here are some other national sides.

Brazil participated in the 2008 and 2012 Games. 7 of the 35 players in those two squads are included in the current World Cup team. Thiago Silva 29, Fernandinho 29, Marcelo 28, Hulk 27, Neymar 22, Ramires 27 and Jô 27. Similar pattern to Argentina.

Mexico. Of the 36 players in the Olympic squads for 2004 and 2012, 7 are included in the 2014 World Cup squad. Ochoa 28, Herrera 24, Peralta 30, dos Santos 25, Jiménez 23, Reyes 21 and Ponce 25.

Italy. 2004 and 2008 Games. 7 out of 38 players in the 2014 World Cup squad. Chiellini 29, Candreva 27, Abate 27, Marchisio 28, Barzagli 33, De Rossi 30 and Pirlo 35. Similar pattern, but note the difference in the ages. Is there a transatlantic divide? Perhaps not, just the fact that the current Italy side is getting on a bit.

Belgium, only the 2008 Olympic Games. 7 out of 20 in the current squad. Kompany 28, Vermaelen 28, Fellaini 26, Mirallas 26, Vertonghen 27, Ciman 28 and Dembélé 26. Yet again, youth development in focus.

Uruguay. 7 out of the 18 in the 2012 Olympic Games squad. Coates 23, Cavani 27, Suárez 27, Ramírez 23, Hernández 23, Lodeiro 25 and Ríos 32.

For Switzerland, the current World Cup squad has 5 members out of the 18 in their 2012 Olympic Games. Benaglio 30, Mehmedi 23, Drmic 21, Rodríguez 21 and Schär 22.

Portugal. Only 2004 Games. 5 out of 18. Meireles 31, Alves 32, Costa 33, Ronaldo 29 and Almeida 30.

Spain participated in the 2012 Games. 4 out of 18: de Gea 23, Azpilicueta 24, Alba 25 and Martínez 25.

Costa Rica, only the 2004 Games. 3 out of 18. Umaña 31, Myrie 26 and Díaz 30.

At the other end, the Dutch under-23 team competed in the 2008 Games. However, none of the players are included in the current 2014 World Cup squad.

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What about England? Great Britain does not usually participate in the Olympic men’s football event. But they did so at home in 2012. Here is the squad.

Great Britain 2012 Olympic men’s football squad (starred players over-age): Jack Butland 19, Neil Taylor 23 (Wales), Ryan Bertrand 22, Danny Rose 22, Steven Caulker 20, Craig Dawson 22, Tom Cleverley 22, Joe Allen 22 (Wales), Daniel Sturridge 22, Craig Bellamy* 33 (Wales), Ryan Giggs* (c) 38 (Wales), James Tomkins 23, Jack Cork 23, Micah Richards* 24, Aaron Ramsey 21 (Wales), Scott Sinclair 23, Marvin Sordell 21, Jason Steele 21

Only one of the above 13 eligible players (5 players in the Olympics squad were Welsh) were included in England’s 2014 World Cup squad. Daniel Sturridge 24. Most importantly, several players who would have been eligible were not included in the Olympics squad: Wilshere, Welbeck, Smalling, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Sterling, Barkley and Shaw.

Why was the Olympics competition not used to groom young English players for the World Cup? Was this a missed opportunity? It seems so. Stars of the 2012 tournament included, among others, Peralta and dos Santos for Mexico and Neymar and Oscar for Brazil. Likewise, the stars of the 2008 Beijing Olympics men’s football included Aguerro, di Maria, Lavezzi and Messi (Argentina), Ronaldinho and Jo (Brazil), Dembele and Mirallas (Belgium) and Kalou (Ivory Coast). Whither youth development, FA?

Finally, here is a question for Arsene. We know you are having a gala time in Brazil. We also recognise that you take pride in developing young players. The World Cup has largely established stars, and hence is perhaps not particularly suitable for scouting. But, what about the London Olympics in 2012? Where were you at the time Arsene? Did you watch football in the Games? Who did you see and admire? Which of those young stars are we signing?

Written by Arnie

Morning Gooners,

Many countries are on their way home after falling at the first hurdle in the World cup, and seeing how I am an Englishman of course I am disappointed by England’s early exit. Personally I felt England’s Manager Roy Hodgson was very fortunate with the youngsters that have been produced, obviously I was wrong, after 3 games my countrymen only managed 1 point,and as we all know that equates to 2 losses and a draw.

Having said that, I still feel that England, Manager, and Players, have learned a lot from this World cup. Taking a young squad to a place like Brazil, with its high temperatures and humidity is quite different from what they experience here, that of course is not an excuse, many other countries also had the same problems, but in the learning cycle invaluable for the future.

I feel that this world cup has come slightly to early for the England team, as some players have just started to emerge. Hodgson wanted to blend experience with youth. The manager felt that the talent we had would be beneficial, young fit men with plenty of energy, many of our youngsters looked very confident, they looked around the players in the squad, and having watched many of them in the league they felt that they stood a very good chance.

Confidence is a fine thing, but inexperience normally has a habit of kicking yourself up the jacksie, and that in all honesty has been what has happened. Although England’s squad looks good for the future, they still need setbacks along the way, to make them aware of just what can happen, as a squad they will learn together, they will learn how to play together and how the manager wants them to play.

There are spaces that will now become available, as ageing seniors will probably fall by the wayside, and although these players have had long England career’s they have never had too many victory stories to pass on to the new recruits. For Arsenal supporters our own players who were in the squad never got to see to much action The Ox at his first world cup never managed to kick a ball in anger reminded me of Theo’s first World cup, but Jack did get to put his boots on.  Jack, I felt, didn’t let us down, he didn’t stand out, but he also didn’t do anything stupid. The Ox of course has watched England from the touchline, not being fit enough to play but he should have learned a thing or two and also had an expenses paid holiday, he should be well rested by the time the new season kicks off.

England have reminded me of our own club, inexperience has been our downfall for many years, and with new players coming in, they have needed a season to find their feet. England have had a short time together but I feel they have shown promise. Arsenal  have also shown promise claiming their first trophy for many seasons, but lack of faith has been a sticking point for us. Leading the league for so long last season gave them and us nosebleeds. We all hoped for a taste of success but we never really believed it would happen until it finally arrived.

Of course the FA cup will last a long while for the players but so will the high losing scores we had to deal with as well. Our Achilles heel is top teams in our own league, we will have to deal with this type of game in the future, if we want to taste the same kind of success.

I feel that Wenger would have had a good insight to who is available, and who may just fit into our club to strengthen us, Players leaving and openings to fill would be his priority when he arrives back from Brazil. I am sure he would have watched Joel Campbell and although he may not have scored many goals I am still sure that Wenger will call him up, whether Joel see’s himself in the Arsenal strip in the future is yet to be seen but for me if Bendtner leaves Joel wouldn’t be a bad replacement.

Of the many players on show in this world cup, I would like to think that Arsène has his eye out for a keeper, and also a good right back, with Santi looking at pastures new  and Vermaelen also rumoured to be going Wenger will have to work quickly. Arsenal as England have good futures, where Hodgson has bundles of talent and the best of English talent Arsène will have to spend and spend well. Arsenals foundation is now fairly sound, but the need of quality is abundantly clear. Arsène has said in the past, as long as you replace with better players we will always improve, I look forward to our new signings.

Written by Steve Palmer

So, what does that fixture list for 2014-15 look like from an Arsenal point of view?

The priority in August (as we know from previous years) is the Champions’ League play-offs, we need to navigate those safely and without fuss, so we want a pretty tame start domestically.  And with Palace at home, Everton away and Leicester away, we have more or less what we would want.  Not that I’m saying they’re easy games; the visit to Goodison will be challenging, Palace under Pulis will continue to be tough and the Foxes will be excited to be back in the top division.  But it could have been a lot worse.

Things get tougher in September, with games against Man City at home, Villa away, Spurs at home and Chelsea away (on 1 October), as well as (hopefully) the opening pair of Champions’ League group games.

The remainder of October and into November is fine, with matches against Hull (home), Sunderland (away), Burnley (home) and Swansea (away), plus some Champions’ League games and the beginning of the League Cup.  There is then an international break, after which we face Man United at our place and go to West Brom.

The run-in to Christmas is ok, with matches against Stoke (away) and Newcastle (home), but we then have our trip to Liverpool.  There is also the League Cup and the last group stage match in the Champions’ League.  Over the holiday period, we don’t have long trips, with the Boxing Day match against QPR (home) and then to West Ham, but those two matches are in the space of three days.  We then have a midweek, New Year’s Day trip to Southampton. And in January, after the traditional slot for the 3^rd round of the FA Cup, we have matches against Stoke (home), Man City (away) and Villa (home), plus the League Cup semi finals and the 4^th round of the FA Cup.

February will be a little more testing, with matches against Spurs (away), Leicester (home), Palace (away) and Everton (home), and the 5^th round of the FA Cup and the beginning of the knock-out phase in the Champions’ League.  But March won’t be too bad (certainly a lot better than it was last season), with meetings with QPR (away), West Ham (home) and Newcastle (away), as well as the FA Cup quarter final and the continuation of the Champions’ League.

There will be a couple of tasty home matches in April, against Liverpool and Chelsea, but in between those we will face Burnley (away) and Sunderland (home), and there will be the quarter finals of the Champions’ League.

The season will run a bit later than usual, presumably on account of the World Cup.  The FA Cup Final will be at the end of May, and the Champions’ League Final (in Berlin) will be on 6 June.  Our league campaign will culminate with some very winnable matches against Hull (away), Swansea (home), and (for our last league game) West Brom at home, but our penultimate match will be away to Man United.  That could be a very big match.  If we’re still in it, there would also be the small matter of the Champions’ League semi finals

So, no death clusters this time around, but equally shorter runs of easier games than we had last season.  The run-in is pretty good for us, as is the opening.  Depending on how the Champions’ League group fixtures play out (if we get there….) and then how the knock-out phase falls into play, there will be times when we have tough combinations of domestic and European fixtures.  An obvious one will be the Spurs-CL-Chelsea combo at the end of September.  But all in all, things don’t look too bad on that front.

I reckon the draw is pretty good for us, better than last season.  Now just the small matter of the summer’s transfer business……….

Written by 26May