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Does moving to a top four club help a young player? (football)
So, with all the fuss about Aaron Ramsey moving to Arsenal, it's got me wondering - is moving to a big club the best decision to aid a young player's development?
Okay, so the 'Big Four' undoubtedly have some of the best coaches and training facilities that Britain has to offer and also some of the best players to train alongside, but does that mean that the player will develop to his full potential?
Personally, I think not. Take Walcott for example. He's now 19 and is yet to hold a guaranteed starting place in the team which he plays for. So most of the time he's either sitting on the bench or playing against other teams' second string - probably not much better than the Championships sides he was facing at Southampton.
Compare that with players like Rooney or Owen who had already cemented their place in the first time by their 18th birthday. Compare also if you like with Gareth Bale who, although his season was curtailed by injury, was benefitting greatly from playing weekly at Spurs and made a real impact.
So, this is a long post, but it's something that I think about every time I hear about a young British player moving to one of the bigger clubs. I know football very much revolves around money these days and this is especially important for clubs like Cardiff for whom it could mean the difference between promotion and mid-table mediocrity next season.
But are these clubs shooting the national game in the foot by allowing their young players to leave at such an early age to such a big club?