What do you think of Athletic Bilbao policy?

[Bandito]

What do you think of the policy of the club that only players who are native to Basque can play in Athletic?
Is that positive as an act of bringing attention to the problem of oppression of Basque people in Spain or a nationalistic tradition?

Their fans surely aren't, actually Herri Norte Taldea are one of the best firms in Spain, alongside with Rayo Vallecano fans, Bukaneros (http://www.nodo50.org/bukaneros/),
Here are some pics of Herri Norte Taldea:
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4999/bilbao10ih.jpg
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1217/hnt8qp.jpg
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1245/bilbao57bo.jpg

[Killfacer]

I don't have a problem with it as such, i think it's pretty good in a way. It does limit the club somewhat, it means they will only ever be able to reach a certain level. Even if that level is pretty high considering all.

[thejambo1]

its great that they adhere to it but will limit them to what they will actually win. but in the modern game 99% of the teams are in the same boat as only the biggies have a real chance.

[Patchd]

I'm not too sure, are they only allowing Basque players to play in the team because footy players from the Basque are massively under-represented within the game, or is it out of nationalistic glorification?

[Killfacer]

or is it out of nationalistic glorification?

This really. There are some great Basque players not playing for Basque teams, Xabi Alonso for one. Although most of them do play for either Bilbao or Sociedad.

[Wanted Man]

I don't think they are that limited, considering that they have played in the top flight for their entire history, won it 8 times, are the 4th most successful team in the league, etc. Of course, they haven't won it in a long time, and with the way modern football has "developed", they won't stand much of a chance to win it again. But as their achievements prove, this kind of policy can certainly work out well.

I guess some people are bothered by the "nationalistic" aspect of the policy, but I think it's just a way of keeping and developing the best players from your own region and community. That's definitely closer to what I'd like than most of modern football, where teams can simply be bought together, and football is just a spectacle for the nouveau riche to compete for who can field the most expensive bought teams.

[Bandito]

While I mostly agree with what Wanted Man posted, I see that as a little reactionary.
I agree that locals get their chance, they develop their own region with this, but that is the sort of tendency that stops, for example, Serbian national team to get a "stranger", although most of the teams have "foreign" players in their squad. The explanation is that there is really a great history in Serbian football the way that thigs are, with only domestic players. There is one, as Yugoslavia we were at times way better than you could expect from a small country.
But when the question about Antonelo Juca(a Brasilian now playing for Deportivo La Coruna, back then Partizan Belgrade) was raised, as he claimed the he would love to play for Serbia, there was a silent protest about it, but not as much as previous times, when those players that were mentioned were black. And Juca is white.
So I see a lot of rectionary thinking, alonside with silent, but present racism and rampant nationalism.
As much as I have sympathies for Euskal Herria and its liberation in all fronts, I'd be curious to see a public reaction if they signed a Spanish player, and on top of all, someone who is not a member of white race. I think that in those circumstances this question will look a lot different.
Not that I expect it anytime soon tho.

[Killfacer]

I don't think they are that limited, considering that they have played in the top flight for their entire history, won it 8 times, are the 4th most successful team in the league, etc. Of course, they haven't won it in a long time, and with the way modern football has "developed", they won't stand much of a chance to win it again. But as their achievements prove, this kind of policy can certainly work out well.



I assume most of their victories were at a time when domestic leagues were completely dominated buy players of the country in which the league is. Barcelona not included, as they have a great and very spanish team (although they also have the likes of Messi, Ibrahimovic and Dani Alves amongst others), most of the teams in the league are able to compete by bringing in foreign talents. It will take a hell of a golden generation of Basque players for Bilbao to ever win anything again.

[manic expression]

Chivas de Guadalajara does the same thing with Mexican players, IIRC. I think it adds an interesting dimension to the game and it's a refreshing change from the cut-throat corporate business-style of "modern football" we're all used to. Having a club with local flavor isn't a bad thing by any means.

I wouldn't want every club to do the same thing, though.

[Holden Caulfield]

I can go the other way, look at the business with Neil Lennon getting death threats from loyalist (nationalist) scum.
I suppose it all depends on who is included in such a policy and more importantly who is not.