Sergi Samper

[BBZ8800]

I never once thought that Xavi would become any more than a generic squad player

Starter for Barca from the age 18, Nt player since the age of 20.

Samper: age 23
A few matches for Barca
Nt team, not even close

Xavi had to play because we lacked Catalan players back then.
But still, Xavi was a key player in youth Spanish Nt sides and played quite decent for Barca even aged 18, 19.

For example:
Alena 20
Oriol 19,5
Xavi was an Nt player in their age already.

Puyol was also an Nt player since the age 22, and an Nt starter since the age 23.

Samper is currently 23.

Of course that playing time helps.
But for example, the next big thing, Oriol, barely plays for Spanish youth teams...
I know that people will reply: Nt coach is an idiot or he is a late bloomer.
Xavi 57 matches for youth Spanish teams.
Iniesta 45 matches.
Oriol 25 matches.
Samper 23 matches.
Even Denis played 46 youth Nt matches, but failed.
So, regarding youth teams, Samper and Oriol were always "behind".
I am not saying that Nt youth matches are an absolute indicator, but you can get some hints already. (There are also late bloomers like Busi, but...)
Alena has 36 matches, though.
But the cold truth is that Xavi and Iniesta were key players in youth Nt teams and were winning youth World cups and Olympics.

These new La Masia kids are several levels below them, with or without chances from EV.

 

[Gnidrologist]

You don't called up for NTs of any age, when you barely play. Or if you play in clusterfuck anarhist team like Las Palmas. I'm not saying Samper is something special, just that he hasn't even been exposed to any meaningful scrutiny. He's still a black horse for me. I remember in those very few insignificant matches he played for first team he showed very good understanding of the game and passing culture. His main flaw what seemed to be was bad physique, too slow. If that's his permanent state than, yeah, no chance to become good. If not then.. But if there wont be any way to test it, it will all bee just moot speculations on our part.

 

[Joan]

I can't believe we are still talking about Samper as a potential Busquets' replacement. Wow. It's 2018.

 

[BBZ8800]

You and I don't see him quite often.
Coaches see him every day and have 1000s of pages of stats regarding his pros and cons.

Contary to a popular opinion, I don't think that coaches are idiots.
Barca has 100s of coaches and staff, and there are surely some good and experienced coaches among them.

Imagine Messi.
If you have 100 coaches, a few of them can be blind, but majority will recignize his skills and talent from:
1. Training grounds
2. Bteam matches
3. Preseason matches
4. A team matches

So, when someone is that good, coaches will surely see that.

Further, imagine that all of our 100 coaches are stupid...
But, other teams also have coaches and scouts.
Some of those scouts would sign/loan Samper and he would show his worth in other clubs.
And then, Nt staff is following 1000s of domestic players.

Fine, it all starts with playing time, but in a case of young nt playrs, you need club's coaches to be blind.
Then scouts from other clubs to be blind.
Then Nt scouts and staff to be blind.

Too many people would need to be idiots in this story.

So, I will follow my rule: if Samper isn't playing on youth Nt level, there must be a reason.
About young Oriol, he is also not playing THAT much.
Imo, that is always a huge warning sign.

For example, Sergi Palencia: age 22, zero games for Barca, zero games for youth Nt teams.
In his case: he is either not good, or waaaaaaaay too many coaches and scouts made a horrible mistake...

Ok, there will always be 1 freaky example out of 20 cases, but these rules and patterns are usually right.

 

[wisconsincule]

Hate to see the injury but it’s clear he’s not going to make it. Don’t know how people are still stuck on him.

 

[tacticvarium]

Oriol has always been playing as a key player for Spanish youth teams along with 98~00 genereation since he started emerging as a top pivot talent since 2014-15.
Don't know what you mean by he is not playing that much.

 

[Gnidrologist]

You and I don't see him quite often.
Contary to a popular opinion, I don't think that coaches are idiots.

Stopped reading there.
You start with a straw man and elaborate that with a wall of text. I didn't even mention anything about coaches.

 

[Raketa10]

HARD SELL but since no one will buy him it will be HARD LOAN again.

 

[GOAT_SUAREZ]

He will go on loan and his contract will just run out after loan like Arda and Douglas

 

[God Serena]

I don't care what anyone says, if Gomes, Vidal, Arda, Denis, Paco, Mathieu, etc. can get multiple seasons to succeed and fail every time, a kid who played in La Masia in every team all the way up through Barca B deserves at least one, and I'm certain he can do a better job than many of the players on that list above.

 

[JamDav1982]

I don't care what anyone says, if Gomes, Vidal, Arda, Denis, Paco, Mathieu, etc. can get multiple seasons to succeed and fail every time, a kid who played in La Masia in every team all the way up through Barca B deserves at least one, and I'm certain he can do a better job than many of the players on that list above.

Denis, Mathieu and Paco dont even come into that category and the B team player needs to be good enough.

 

[God Serena]

Denis, Mathieu and Paco dont even come into that category and the B team player needs to be good enough.

You can argue Mathieu doesn't as opinion on his quality varies but Denis and Paco have been here for some time now and the team could really do well to remove them from the team.

And the B player in question has shown he was good enough with Barca B, he just had a bad loan spell with a last place team and got injured in a second, but was playing well before it.

If Samper is given even a fraction of the opportunities those players have received and shows he's not good enough, then fair play. But as of now I think writing him off as "Dead weight" is too much.

 

[JamDav1982]

You can argue Mathieu doesn't as opinion on his quality varies but Denis and Paco have been here for some time now and the team could really do well to remove them from the team.

And the B player in question has shown he was good enough with Barca B, he just had a bad loan spell with a last place team and got injured in a second, but was playing well before it.

If Samper is given even a fraction of the opportunities those players have received and shows he's not good enough, then fair play. But as of now I think writing him off as "Dead weight" is too much.

Samper was never anything great with the B team and hasnt been when out on loan.

If he was not so highly rated as a youngster there would not be much of a clamour for him.

 

[GOAT_SUAREZ]

I don't care what anyone says, if Gomes, Vidal, Arda, Denis, Paco, Mathieu, etc. can get multiple seasons to succeed and fail every time, a kid who played in La Masia in every team all the way up through Barca B deserves at least one, and I'm certain he can do a better job than many of the players on that list above.

he can't.

 

[mia7007]

I know most of the people here like him, but he is far from being a Barca player
He even failed to be a starter in any of the teams he was loaned too