Atletico volatile homegrown (I)

By now, fans of Atletico Madrid is not easily fooled. They are dreamers, dreamers, but not gullible. So when from the club mention the word quarry in the stands are cast to shake. The experience of recent years has shown the mattress that players do not usually have room house in the first team. Excepted. Fernando Torres was the last great exponent of the youth athletic but had to migrate in search of better life. Antonio Lopez is currently in the club and as captain, lifted the two recent European films, but had to advertise before at Osasuna. And David de Gea, with only 20, has already become a reality, although they sound now rumors of sale and fans have more than one player with which illusion, reason to suffer with his possible departure.

Alvaro Dominguez also appeared as a promising player. He became a fixture in the center of defense last year, when the team won the Europa League, but Quique Sanchez Flores has not had confidence in him and therefore his future at the club is uncertain. Domínguez performance has dropped considerably, has little to do now with the player proved to be sober in its infancy. However, his case is a clear example that in all things red and white are unstable and can change radically from one day to another. Such an environment is not the most suitable for the screening of young talent, that if anything they need is consistency , a concept that the club Manzanares not taken into account in recent years.

In the last decade, since the Atletico Madrid returned to the First Division in 2002, there have been many homegrown players who have crossed briefly in the first team. Canterano volatile, which could be called. Some lasted a few seasons, three at most, others, only parties, minutes ... and there were even guys that they were considered heroes for a day and then stalled, then not have been more than that, smoke. Understandably, then, that the follower rojiblanco these assumptions do not rely on future values, even in their own criteria for judging. Good for the exaggerations of the press, either by the same desire to see quality where none exists, the fact is that the athletic supporter is baffled to the point who can not really conclude whether there is a base level and the club is wasting or is that hardly any worthwhile youth squad.

To show that this was the reality of Atletico in recent years, we will review all the youth of the quarry have stepped on the first team since 2002, the year of return to First, the vast majority, almost unnoticed. And we will, for ease of reading and do not make it too heavy or large-sized according to their positions. Thus, instead of seasons (nine have passed since then) groups information into four sections that divide into two posts: this one, for goalkeepers and defenders, and another for midfielders and forwards.

Janitors

In addition to De Gea, five porters have gone through the first team since the rise. The first to do so was Falcon (red and white came from the quarry of the Cádiz CF), which endured a few years on the team but was always in the shadow of others. After several courses, was released and returned to go Hercules then finally to Celta Vigo, free. Another was Ivan Cuellar, now at Sporting Gijon, who also arrived on a free transfer. The 'Pichu' (who grew up in Mérida) also found his place and played sparingly. Two seasons ago was Barnabas who, from the B, became the third goalkeeper behind Atletico Leo Franco and Coupet. But he never even debut and left free to Salamanca, where continuing.

With De Gea, remains on the computer Joel, that the League has participated in two meetings (the last two Atleti last season) and presumably remains on the club next season. Depend, yes, the future of De Gea and also Sergio Asenjo (on loan to Málaga) that Atleti decides to have him finish cede or selling or letting escape. And close the list of guaraeaTAS Roberto Jimenez, whose comings and goings highlights the lack of discretion of the board of the club, in the end, however, took some good money from their sale. Made the leap from the B but then had to emigrate, first to Nastic, assigned, and then to Recreativo, as part of the operation by Sinama. Atletico decided fished for 1.5 million euros and, finally (after passing through the Zaragoza), was transferred to Benfica by 8.5 million. Roberto came to play with the U-21 but Atletico Madrid did not find a site.

Fenders

Earlier we talked about Domínguez, a player who excites the stands but would need to grow and correct defects, and do not even know for sure that will continue in the Manzanares. Also, Antonio Lopez, who before winning in Madrid left-back had to do in Pamplona. In fact, there have been many more defenses that have given a real leap in the nine seasons. And those who were not aroused more than indifference. Gaspar was the first to do so. Cordoba defender participated in two games the year of decline, then went through the Real Oviedo and Valladolid (which then played in the Primera) before returning in the 2003-04 season. He played well this year, it participated in 27 games, but the arrival of Ferrando shifted up a gear.

In the 2004-05 season, Miller jumped after spending a couple of years in the subsidiary, and came to participate in 23 games in two seasons he was in the first team. However, the Under-21 international also did not stay on the right side, not the Atleti but because no body has become a trotaequipos that passed through Malaga (loan), Mallorca (came with the letter of freedom) , the Levant, Dinamo Bucharest and, currently, Huesca. Only actively participated in the Second Division: Huesca and the club before, with the Levant.

To close the block of defenses, and close the way this first chapter, we show what we said before: any name that sounds like promise, as young future, doubt creeps. This is because over the years there have been some cases such as Julián Vara, Antonio Moreno, Pablo Sicilia or César Ortiz. The first three, at least officially debut became the first team. Each had his minutes in a single match: Vara, Real Betis, Sicily, against Getafe, and Antonio Moreno, against Racing. Cesar Ortiz, not even that. Right now, Caesar regresasdo Atletico B after spending almost invisibly by Albacete and Aris Thessaloniki. Therefore, the mattress have reason to be suspicious even of one of its new 'Pearl': Jorge Pulido, who also features in the lower echelons of the national team but Atletico, for now, could only debut, no more . And even in the League Cup but, in an inconsequential game against the University of Las Palmas. What is Polishing?

Images | Daidaros (flickr) and YouTube capture