Real Madrid have a big youth system, bigger than English clubs because that's how youth coaching operates in Spain. They've produced 15 players who made their debuts for Spain in the last decade - 15 - compare that to United, or any English club (that's not a rhetorical question, I really would like to know).
Depends how you define "produced"...We've produced a number of players who've never played for us. Considering the top talent at youth level usually gets scouted by the big clubs (and in Spain the number of "big" clubs is 2) means it's no surprise or much of an achievement that so many younsters have been through their Youth Academy...The fact that so few of them have made it anywhere near their first team is precisely the point..
The failure is in the link from youth team to first team - only two of those players made their debuts while they were with Madrid. Part of it is the bizarre buying and wages policy - buying players like Drenthe for squad berths, paying low wages to their home produced squad players. Madrid know it - in the past they talked about a team of Zidanes and Patos, but they'd need management stability to do anything about it.
it's Pavon, but yeah, it is that. Partly. But not completely though. It's bigger and more endemic than that.
I'd suggest a lot of the "hate", or maybe more accurately a mix of derision and disbelief comes from the manager issue. No team that changes managers as often as them deserves a team or a successful youth policy - that they almost manage to buy one is irritating. Last week Mourinho said to a press conference, "If you give me 4 years, I'll give you a great team." They looked at him like he was taking the piss.
I couldn't give a shit about how many managers they have, I do give a shit that they're so amazingly arrogant as an institution on the back of an ethos that hasn't seen them
earn their success, merely buy it, for a good decade or so. It's the assumption they should be respected now, because of the history they have. This policy of "We are the biggest club, respect us, give us your players bitches!" that makes people hate them... Yes of course United and clubs of our ilk have done similar things but no where near as flagrantly..When have any of our directors come directly out and unsettled players? used our connections in the media or govt to unsettle players? ...We (and other clubs like us) are far more respectful of not just other clubs but of other big clubs..Something Madrid aren't, because they act as thought they're above it all.
They act like elvis said, there's Madrid, then everyone eles...But they haven't earned this. They've bought it. Their current regime is a joke, has been for a while. When was the last time they even
made a player? Regardless of Youth produce or not. Like a Cantona or henry or even Ronaldo who made their name AT Madrid even if they were just bought. What respect are they due on this front? They do nothing but look for quick success and then act like they deserve respect beyond all others....They're a shambles, a joke and their attitude is wrong on every level. With regards to themselves, to other clubs, to players, to fans, to everything...
That's where the hate comes from....And also because those of us over 18 think this whole "we're the biggest" attitude is a new era media blitz.
How many young international stars have come out and said it is their dream to play for United?
Loads
Ronaldinho: my dream of joining Manchester United - News & Comment, Football - The Independent - From 2003
Tottenham's Roman Pavlyuchenko 'dreams' of playing for Manchester United - Telegraph
Sneijder reveals United dream - Soccerway
Angel di Maria loves Manchester United
Flying winger still retains Manchester United dream 03 June 2010 - 14:43 | Sport.co.uk
Usain Bolt Dreams of Playing Soccer for Manchester United » NetDugout Indiana
Mezut Ozil: It would be a dream to play for Manchester Unite - IMScouting
All just on the first two pages of a google search, and that's just the good players....Tabloid bollocks a lot of it most likely, but no more so than Madrid's "dream" talk. You seem to be forgetting how big we are.
Don't don't don't believe the hype....
What I think is, this circus has only built up around the last 15 or so years, when Perez and his ilk saw what could be achieved by marketing and spin....I grew up thinking Barca or Milan were the big world teams. Madrid where rather tame when I was a kid in the late 80s/early 90s...But in the last 15+ years and the advent of the PL and CL and re-branding and what not, they've seen their 5 Franco-era CL trophies as representing "great brand value!"..and lead a media assault claiming they're the "biggest club in the world" and built up this brand which has become a monster. I'm fairly sure it's something they never claimed before the end of the century, cos they were relatively anonymous on the World and European stage between the 60s and late 90s an a fair few people who are my age don't buy into it..
however the Elvises of this world, and his ilk of under 18s whose only memory is of this media blitz buy into it wholesale it seems...Misson accomplished!
Of course they're a huge club. One of the biggest. But this "Biggest club in the world by far" nonsense has been pushed to the fore by this monstrous Perez era juggernaut in recent years. I don't consider any club "the biggest" and if I had to rank most successful then yes it'd be them. But their success is quite a lot less impressive than many other sides - notably Milan - when it's put into time and context (Monarchy & Govt sanction 31 times winners of league with only 9 winners in it's history...4 of their CLs coming in the competitions inception before English teams even competed) ....Hence why this notion of them as the flag bearers is so absurd. Milan's success is more impressive, Barca and us have more followers. Many clubs have produced more talent through their first team (Barca/Ajax/probably us) and crafted more renowned teams...So you tell me, why are they so above it all apparently?