Xavi Simons

[Riordon]

Not sad he left. Im sad about Mateu Morey who seems to be doing very good already at Dortmund.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

I don't get this sh*t. So you are 16, you have an agent and your parents let you do what the agent says... Just sad, but that's the way Riaola making huge money. I don't like him but this is only happening because Ibra didn't fit here. So, every last player under Riaola won't come to Barca and that's 100% sure.

Not true. As long as you pay his big fat commissions, you will get his player.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Mendes is great for his clients. Raiola, not so much.

Raiola is great for himself, for his clients not so much.

 

[Porque]

In conclusion:

Rabiot - > Juve
Simons - > PSG
De Jong - > Barcelona

 

[Marshall D Teach]

Raiola is great for himself, for his clients not so much.

Agreed. If you want a great agent who looks out for YOUR best interests, look no further than Mendes.

He’s not that great for the club that gets duped into buying his more mediocre players though

Raiola on the other hand will just use you to fatten his wallet.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Agreed. If you want a great agent who looks out for YOUR best interests, look no further than Mendes.

He’s not that great for the club that gets duped into buying his more mediocre players though

Raiola on the other hand will just use you to fatten his wallet.

I agree with this.

 

[Ajax]

If you had understood the objective, you would have known that PSG is not downgrading their academy.

They are just going for an Elite group. The reserves was seen as useless with either players too old to play U19 but not good enough to play professional football or good youngsters who are very precocious. PSG want their best youngsters all in the same elite team: the U19. Then, either you make it professional afterwards or not.

How does that make sense? You had two teams, at two levels. You could get 16y old a chance with the 19y olds and the top 19y olds a chance with the 'leftovers'and returning 1st team players.

Now you have 1 team (11 starting spots) up to 19 and then a big nothing up to the first team. How will you ever make the step from playing with 17y olds to playing with the first team? What happens to players who dont get regular playing time in the first team, or who return from an injury? I must be missing something here if QSG is investing 300m in accomodation..

 

[Newcomer]

How does that make sense? You had two teams, at two levels. You could get 16y old a chance with the 19y olds and the top 19y olds a chance with the 'leftovers'and returning 1st team players.

Now you have 1 team (11 starting spots) up to 19 and then a big nothing up to the first team. How will you ever make the step from playing with 17y olds to playing with the first team? What happens to players who dont get regular playing time in the first team, or who return from an injury? I must be missing something here if QSG is investing 300m in accomodation..

The key word is "elite group". PSG formation will become more elitist as you rightly pointed there will be less spots available.
A 16 year old can play in the U17 and then play in the U19.

The problem in France is that the reserve of pro clubs can't go higher than the fourth level of football. PSG had asked if it was possible to allow them reserves to go higher if they qualified but it was turned down. Fourth level is where the pro reserves face amateur clubs who have adult players.
PSG and some other pro clubs think that the kids are not learning much and growing well in that league bar the physical challenge. In order to help those young players to cope with adults, clubs like PSG had to sign or keep players not good enough to ever play in the senior team but with enough experience and physicality to guide them.

Now, instead of sending the most precocious and talented players on the reserves, they'll stay in the U19 and keep growing together. U19 is the category which enjoys the most glorious and competitive tournaments for young players. So, it is a win for those players imo. They’ll keep playing under the same coach and develop their collective understanding.
The clear losers are the players not good enough to be in PSG senior group. They’ll have to find new clubs.

This is the objective of this reform. However, as we all know, nothing is certain in life and it might turn into a disaster in few years. But the clear intention here is to focus and keep only the very best of our academy.

For Xavi Simons, it is not that bad if he is as good as he thinks he is. He will be part of that elite group.

 

[Ajax]

The key word is "elite group". PSG formation will become more elitist as you rightly pointed there will be less spots available.
A 16 year old can play in the U17 and then play in the U19.

The problem in France is that the reserve of pro clubs can't go higher than the fourth level of football. PSG had asked if it was possible to allow them reserves to go higher if they qualified but it was turned down. Fourth level is where the pro reserves face amateur clubs who have adult players.
PSG and some other pro clubs think that the kids are not learning much and growing well in that league bar the physical challenge. In order to help those young players to cope with adults, clubs like PSG had to sign or keep players not good enough to ever play in the senior team but with enough experience and physicality to guide them.

Now, instead of sending the most precocious and talented players on the reserves, they'll stay in the U19 and keep growing together. U19 is the category which enjoys the most glorious and competitive tournaments for young players. So, it is a win for those players imo. They’ll keep playing under the same coach and develop their collective understanding.
The clear losers are the players not good enough to be in PSG senior group. They’ll have to find new clubs.

This is the objective of this reform. However, as we all know, nothing is certain in life and it might turn into a disaster in few years. But the clear intention here is to focus and keep only the very best of our academy.

For Xavi Simons, it is not that bad if he is as good as he thinks he is. He will be part of that elite group.

In what light should we see the signing of Bakker from Ajax? He is not good enough for ajax. Not exactly a big talent. Typical player that would move to a midtable eredivisieteam after hanging around the first team for a year or so

(He got some first team experience due to injuries)

 

[Newcomer]

In what light should we see the signing of Bakker from Ajax? He is not good enough for ajax. Not exactly a big talent. Typical player that would move to a midtable eredivisieteam after hanging around the first team for a year or so

(He got some first team experience due to injuries)

Even before he signed, we knew he was not PSG level.

Speculation is : either he got a contract because of Mino Raiola as a sweetener for another deal or he was part of the strategy of Antero Henrique to gather players in post-formation on free and trade them later on for money to help with the FFP.

I doubt he will ever play for PSG. If he does, it means that PSG has been highly incompetent and has not solved their obvious fullback problem.

 

[BarçaBarça]

Couldn't be bothered too much, we have greater talents in La Masia than him.

Until now he has been more hype than delivery. We will see how he fares in PSG, but with 3 years contract (19 years when expire) I can see him move once again, after his debute-season in the PSG-squad. Question is what kind of level he is on at that time, I'm not convinced he will be a WC-talent at the time.

Edit:
Came to think of it: That Xavi-name-thing just got to f*** you up a little. Maybe I can understand his willingness to separate from Barca from that perspective, to kind of make his own, before maybe returning. I mean, if they played in different positions, but he is constantly carrying a golden-era brand-name on his shoulders, that can't be easy.

 

[Newcomer]

Couldn't be bothered too much, we have greater talents in La Masia than him.

Until now he has been more hype than delivery. We will see how he fares in PSG, but with 3 years contract (19 years when expire) I can see him move once again, after his debute-season in the PSG-squad. Question is what kind of level he is on at that time, I'm not convinced he will be a WC-talent at the time.

Edit:
Came to think of it: That Xavi-name-thing just got to f*** you up a little. Maybe I can understand his willingness to separate from Barca from that perspective, to kind of make his own, before maybe returning. I mean, if they played in different positions, but he is constantly carrying a golden-era brand-name on his shoulders, that can't be easy.

Exactly what i think. At the end of his current contract, he should have finally completed his formation at PSG academy but not really sure he will be with the senior group.

I can understand when we talk about Kubo or Todibo who are "ready" to play in a senior side but this one is nowhere near the "pro" level.

 

[Newcomer]

He has scored his first goal for PSG U19 which is said to be a worldie.

I'm not watching his games but the ones who follow the youth are saying he is not an exceptional talent. He gave away a penalty in the same game but it was missed thankfully.

 

[Andresito]

The hype cooled down now that he left Barca. He can develop in peace and might actually become decent without the pressure he's had since he was like 10.

 

[xXKonan]

I'd say the hype was already slowly coming down during the last couple of years here.

Seems like other players in his age group at La Masia caught up with him or even are superior to him talent-wise.