Nurturing young players

[blues2win]

Southampton are saying that they will not sell Oxley-Chamberlain to the highest bidder but to the club which will nurture him the best. This has been taken by the Press, rightly in my view, as a back handed criticism of City. To my mind that is totally unfair.

Walcott has been brought along by Arsenal but Wenger hasn't hesitated to leave him on the bench for long periods when his play hasn't been up to scratch, including during this season. Kieran Gibbs is not preferred to the more experienced Clichy. Wilshere is now playing but only since his play has warranted it.

As far as City is concerned we have taken exactly the same attitude. Over the years we have always given young players a chance but ultimately they have to deliver on the pitch or they leave. That policy continues to this day. Hart has been preferred to the vastly more experienced Given. Richards has been given yet another chance to show what he can do but lapses in performance have not been ignored. Adam Johnson has had plenty of game time but again Mancini won't ignore uneven form. The Club has rightly stood solidly behind Michael Johnson through two long years of injury. Ireland can't legitimately complain about lack of opportunities although he has done so. He simply didn't deliver on a consistent basis.

My point is that if Oxley-Chamberlain comes here rather than goes to Arsenal he'll be given every chance to succeed. He won't be plunged in stupidly and prematurely but if he progresses he will get his chance. Like any other player in any Club in the world it would be up to him to take it.

[Im_Spartacus]

Well to start with, Southampton are liars.

It just so happened that the club who offered the highest fee for Walcott was the club perceived as one with the best youth system. Walcott is STILL not worth the money Arsenal paid and I doubt he ever will be. He has 33 goals in 180 games - absolute shite in anyones book for a forward who has 5/6 full seasons behind him

It has also emerged that United had an offer for Bale turned down, and they sold to Spuds who were the highest bidder.

Fact is, Wenger would not hesitate to bring in overseas talent over and above the British talent - and on that matter he is exactly like any other manager in the land, they will only play for the first team when ready and good enough.

If Southampton want to take the moral high ground, maybe they should just set themselves up as a feeder club for Arsenal

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

That is such a fucking horseshit by Southampton chairman that I can't believe someone would buy it. Make no mistake, in financial situation they are in, selling him to highest bidder is EXACTLY what they'll do. Oxlade-Chamberlain is, according to a Southampton supporting bloke I know, even bigger talent than Walcott was but at this stage his career can still go in many ways.

Personally I think he has been offered to us and probably Chelsea for obscene price but I reckon both teams declined. We got quite a few promising midfielders in Academy and only signed that Israeli lad who was released from Barcelona (his name escapes me now). So does Chelsea. It's easy to fucking say that they will "only sell him to best place for him" when big players aren't interested and you need the money.

If they were REALLY all about this young lads development, and I don't think professional football club should be run like that anyway, they'd keep him in their ranks and let him get more experience in League One playing proper games instead of sending him to Academy off one of the top Premier League clubs. But it's all bullshit isn't it.

[Moonchesteri]

Spartacus and NQDP said it all. Complete bollocks by Southampton.