World cup for the ‘aged’?
A look around the teams at the 2010 World shows the likes of Radomir Antic, Otto Rehhagel, Rabah Saadane, Lars Lagerback, all into their 60s, with their club coaching careers seemingly behind them. There are exceptions of course; Dunga, Joachim Loew and Diego Maradona are not the most experienced of coaches but the majority of […]
A look around the teams at the 2010 World shows the likes of Radomir Antic, Otto Rehhagel, Rabah Saadane, Lars Lagerback, all into their 60s, with their club coaching careers seemingly behind them.
There are exceptions of course; Dunga, Joachim Loew and Diego Maradona are not the most experienced of coaches but the majority of the World Cup trainers are grey-haired, gnarled, weathered know-alls of the game.
And while some older coaches at club level prefer to work with younger players, like Arsene Wenger, Felix Magath and Louis van Gaal, it would seem that few sides are taking their chances with teenagers on the international front this year. The international game is becoming an old boy’s game on the field too.
A cursory glance around the 2010 World Cup squads reveals no more than seven players below the age of 20 in a pool of 736 performers; less than one per cent. That is only one below the number of teenagers that Cameroon alone took in 2002.
The Indomitable Lions are again the team in possession of the most teens at this tournament, but that total is a measly two. Paul Le Guen has selected among his 23 Vincent Aboubakar and Joel Matip.
The former, a striker, tore up his domestic league last season for Coton Sport and has recently signed for Valenciennes in France. The latter, German born, is an imposing central midfield player who is being nurtured at Schalke 04 by Magath.
The west coast of Africa has traditionally seen its young players come into bloom quite early but Cote d’Ivoire have no squad member beneath 20 in their ranks this time. The Super Eagles of Nigeria, Olympic finalists in 2008, include only one player in his teens; Haruna Lukman, the Monaco midfielder who has impressed since coming into Lars Lagerback’s reckoning.
And in Ghana, home of the Black Satellites who won the World under-20 title, only Jonah Mensah is still shy of his 20s. The likes of Samuel Inkoom and Dominic Adiyiah have been retained in the senior team but are above 19. Surprisingly, even more so considering the absence of Michael Essien, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has been cut.
Although Milovan Rajevac entrusted those with few caps in the Africa Cup of Nations, he has shaded his squad with hues of experience for the World Cup. Nonetheless, the Black Stars have the lowest average age at the tournament – 24 and nine months. Only North Korea come close to matching that.
Switzerland include Xherdan Shaqiri, the 18 year-old who has risen to prominence with FC Basel this season. He is unlikely to start. New Zealand have named the West Bromwich Albion striker Chris Wood among their travelling party and he has been gathering praise in increasing volume.
Perhaps the most exciting teenage prospect at the finals will be Christian Eriksen of Denmark, the youngest player taking part. He does not turn 19 until next February but has already made an impact at Ajax, so much so that he is tipped to be the breakout star of World Cup 2010.
There are also a number of up and coming players in the 20-21 age bracket such as Soitiris Ninis, Rene Krhin and Nicolas Lodeiro, but not one of the realistic challengers for the trophy have a teenager in their ranks.
Indeed, the favourites Brazil count Nilmar and Thiago Silva as their youngest players. They are both 25 but neither is expected to start. Dunga showed his commitment to experience by resisting calls to include the teenage Santos striker Neymar – somewhat of a controversy at home. Robinho, Felipe Melo and Michel Bastos will be the youngest starters for the 2002 champions, at 26.
Spain’s baby is Sergio Busquets at 21, although he too is loaded with experience as a result of two full seasons at a hugely successful Barcelona team.
The Netherlands have Gregory Van der Weil at 22 and although Germany bring their youngest squad to a tournament for 76 years, no players for the die Nationalmannschaft are in their teens.
England retain almost half of their Euro 2004 squad, 10 in all, and are the oldest side collectively in the tournament, alongside Brazil and 2006 winners Italy. Argentina have Javier Pastore in their ranks at 20 but even the mercurial Maradona has seen the wisdom of including age before the impetuousness of youth.
There may be truth in the adage that there is no substitute for experience; certainly this year that seems more pertinent than ever with the teams expected to be at the business end of the draw opting for the older, wiser contingent.
Perhaps managers and coaches have paid heed to the precedent set by the likes of Chelsea and Inter last season at club level; both of those hugely successful sides featured players the ‘wrong side’ of 30 and it did little harm. They won five trophies between them. In contrast it was the inexperience of Rafael that ultimately cost Manchester United in Europe; Arsenal’s kiddies have been waiting to come to fruition for as long as they have been professionals.
There are fewer teenagers going to this World Cup than in 1998 when squads were comprised of 22 players and not 23; this time around there are 32 more players and yet fewer teens.
It seems coaches are happy with the trade off between the unpredictability of youth and the dependiblity of experience.
Teenagers at World Cup 2010:
Group A – none
Group B – Haruna Lukman (Nigeria)
Group C – none
Group D – Jonah Mensah (Ghana)
Group E – Vincent Aboubakar, Joel Matip (Cameroon), Christian Eriksen (Denmark)
Group F – Chris Wood (New Zealand)
Group G – none
Group H – Zherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland)