YPT - Will's journal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is encouraged by the quality of young English talent within the ranks of the Gunners' youth set-up, but has urged everyone to be patient while it is developed.

Arsenal have persistently been criticized by some for the preponderance of foreign talent on their books. But that is a superficial and simplistic analysis of the set-up at the North London club.

Wenger admires the way Dutch football is structured, with the 'Ajax model' producing sustained success. And his objective when arriving at

Arsenal in 1996 was to build something similar.

He was unable at first to tap into home-grown talent, but is now confident that there is high quality coming through.

Wenger said: "I have a lot of respect for what Holland has achieved - they have been to World Cup finals with only 15 million people.

"Ajax for me has been a model for many clubs in Europe. They have been in Champions League finals, they have even won it with players produced through their own ranks.

"What I try to do is is that on an international level.

"When I started this work, I thought I would produce 60 per cent of English players and 40 per cent of foreign players.

"However, it ended up with 80 per cent of foreign players and 20 per cent English players, because I did not find enough quality here.

"But what you have that is amazing, is now we have the quality in the Under 16s, Under 14s in England - all English players, but you have to be patient."

Wenger added: "You have the talent - but you must give them the education.

"A good education improves the level of the normal player. The genius, you cannot decide that because that comes out like a George Best every 20 years, but the real basic level is down to education."

And Wenger feels it is too often overlooked that Arsenal have produced several players - such as David Bentley at Blackburn, and Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell - who are now doing well elsewhere.

The Frenchman recalled: "At that time when I let Sidwell go, he had [Patrick] Vieira and [Emanuel] Petit in front of him, also guys like Edu, Gilberto.

"I knew when I let him go, he would be a Premier League player - and I told him.

"I said to him 'the only way you can be a Premier League player is to go, because if sat on the bench, how can you develop as a player?'.

"I am not surprised with his progress - he has improved because he plays.

"He has been educated here - but to keep him here without playing is useless.

"That is why people accuse us of not doing enough for England and English football.

"They forget we will educate plenty of players that go somewhere else and play and have been educated here and become contenders to play for England, even if they do not play here."

Source: Goal.com