Three Frenchies

[gene hughes]

I read this morning that we're linked with three French internationals, Sakho, M'Vila and Lloris.

I suppose I expected to see a bit of an influx of Ligue 1 players when we got our new Director of Football but now I see us being linked with a little group like this it makes me quite nervous.

One of the depresing memories of the Houllier era and its final year was the perception that there was an Anglophone/Francophone divide and these links reminded me of that.

For some reason I'd like us to have a very diverse selection of foreigners - I think it's because I worry that when there's a big rump of players from the same background arriving around the same time, they don't integrate with the club or the city as well as they otherwise would.

Gimme ten good British/Irish players, a couple of Scandinavians, a Spaniard, a Dutchy, an Italian, maybe a German and a Czech, one or two from a random European country like Moldova, maybe one or two Francophone players, a couple of Brazilians and a couple of Spanish speaking latin Americans. Throw in a couple of Asians and Africans and bob's your uncle.

I wonder if clubs ever think about it this way too? Making sure that there's minimal potential for cliques?

Anyway, would anyone else be worried about us signing three Frenchies at the same time?

 

[Woland]

You'd do well curating my orgies.

 

[Jack D Rips]

I would be worried that chasing Lloris means Pepe is on his way.

 

[Atlas]

I know its quite the opposite but didn't Manchester United buy Kleberson to entice Ronaldinho to the club? help him settle in etc

 

[TheBunnyman]

I know what you mean, Gene, but it really depends on their quality more than anything. I don't know much about Sakho, but the other two are very, very good. Lloris is not as good as Reina, but if that bastard wants to leave, he'd be a great replacement. And M'Vila I'm really quite excited about.

But yeah, in general, I'd prefer a mix of nationalities, with a preponderance of locals.

 

[KopKing]

So British/Irish players don't form cliques?

 

[Delinquent]

[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45013.msg1318084#msg1318084 date=1303224585]
So British/Irish players don't form cliques?
[/quote]

I think you might be missing the point.

 

[Sunny]

Cliques don't build teamwork regardless of nationalities but there will always naturally be some forming off the pitch due to cultural differences. All major teams are multi-national - it's how they perform as a team on the field of play that counts.

 

[KopKing]

[quote author=Delinquent link=topic=45013.msg1318088#msg1318088 date=1303224749]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45013.msg1318084#msg1318084 date=1303224585]
So British/Irish players don't form cliques?
[/quote]

I think you might be missing the point.
[/quote]

Probably because there isn't one. Does it matter where the players were born so long as they are good enough and committed enough? Kenny doesn't think so nor do I.

 

[Atlas]

All of this contributes to performing on the pitch KopKing, if there are cliques and players always hang around with the same players and resentment grows that will affect them on the pitch and how they perform.

Look at France/Holland national teams, they had cliques and a few idiots who were great players but it lead to strained relationships and a complete failure on the pitch.

 

[Delinquent]

[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45013.msg1318094#msg1318094 date=1303225045]
[quote author=Delinquent link=topic=45013.msg1318088#msg1318088 date=1303224749]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45013.msg1318084#msg1318084 date=1303224585]
So British/Irish players don't form cliques?
[/quote]

I think you might be missing the point.
[/quote]

Probably because there isn't one. Does it matter where the players were born so long as they are good enough and committed enough? Kenny doesn't think so nor do I.
[/quote]

As I suspected, you were missing the point. I think you do it deliberately, though. You couldn't be that prolific otherwise.

 

[dmishra]

Isn't this story from the Shit? It's most probably crap, and I really doubt we'll end up purchasing or even targeting only French players. The links to the likes of Enrique, Young, Hazard etc. certainly don't seem to suggest it anyway.

 

[gene hughes]

It's from The Guardian.

I don't think we're targeting only French players any more than we did under Houllier or than we targeted only Spanish players under Rafa but it stands to reason (and tends to stand up to evidence-based analysis) that when you have someone signing players who has a background in, or expert knowledge of, a particular league then you tend to get a disproportionate number of players from there in your squad after a few years.

 

[dmishra]

[quote author=gene hughes link=topic=45013.msg1318140#msg1318140 date=1303229184]
It's from The Guardian.

I don't think we're targeting only French players any more than we did under Houllier or than we targeted only Spanish players under Rafa but it stands to reason (and tends to stand up to evidence-based analysis) that when you have someone signing players who has a background in, or expert knowledge of, a particular league then you tend to get a disproportionate number of players from there in your squad after a few years.
[/quote]

I don't disagree but having Kenny in charge will probably temper that trend. Given the acquisition of Carroll and the number of EPL players we've been linked with certainly suggests that. In such a scenario, it's only good if we can exploit Comolli's knowledge of the French league given that French based players generally adapt well to England. Especially if the quality of players we're talking about is of the kind of Lloris, Sakho and M'vila.

 

[TheBunnyman]

Yeah, the biggest problem with all the French players Houllier bought is that they were crap. If he'd bought the likes of Petit, Henry, Vieira and Pires, I doubt we'd be moaning too much.

 

[Woland]

Zidane would have really fucked with the balance, and the lads couldn't believe Biscan was foreign when he made a cup of tea.

 

[gene hughes]

[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=45013.msg1318345#msg1318345 date=1303244099]
Yeah, the biggest problem with all the French players Houllier bought is that they were crap. If he'd bought the likes of Petit, Henry, Vieira and Pires, I doubt we'd be moaning too much.
[/quote]

It's true you hear a lot less about the cliques at clubs that are winning the league.

 

[RolandG]

3 Musketeers are a smoke screen. M'vila is the real target!