Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:36 am**

Liverpool plan Nacional link

Liverpool's director of football Damien Comolli has revealed the club are looking to tap into the talent emerging from Uruguay with two internationals from the country now at the club.

GettyImages
Sebastian Coates was in the stands for Liverpool's recent victory over Bolton

Liverpool signed 20-year-old Sebastian Coates from Nacional late last month and he will link up with countryman and former Nacional player Luis Suarez, who joined in January from Ajax.

Comolli says Liverpool are now looking to establish a more formal relationship with Nacional on the back of the Coates deal.

"I've got to thank the people from Nacional, the directors and their chairman, because they have been very helpful," he told the club's official website. "They tried to help the player complete his will, which was to come here.

"They tried to find a solution for us to make it happen. We now have strong links with them because both Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates have come from this club and been developed by their academy.

"We are talking about a partnership with them that we would like to create over the next three, four or five years, to see if there is more talent coming through. Maybe we can help them to develop their standards and in turn have the ability to bring those young players here.

"During the Copa America they had 14 players out of the 23 who had at some point played at Nacional or were developed by Nacional. That is a fantastic record for their academy."

Comolli added: "It is very interesting for us. ''We already have a strong link with South America through Lucas (Leiva), Maxi (Rodriguez) and Luis.

"Since it's been such a success with Luis - and I'm sure it will be for Sebastian - why don't we try to make it an even bigger success by bringing in other players from Nacional?"
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Pretty interesting... but to be honest, I don't see how they can benefit from us... it's more like we are tapping their talent... :laugh:

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:46 am**

.... and they tap our money. A marriage made in heaven.

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:49 am**

maguskwt wrote:Pretty interesting... but to be honest, I don't see how they can benefit from us... it's more like we are tapping their talent...

Money I guess.

Im sure a club like that know that top young players are going to go to Europe to play at the top level.

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:56 am**

jacdaniel wrote:
maguskwt wrote:Pretty interesting... but to be honest, I don't see how they can benefit from us... it's more like we are tapping their talent...

Money I guess.

Im sure a club like that know that top young players are going to go to Europe to play at the top level.

Yeah... But aren't there other clubs that are willing to pay more than us?

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:29 pm**

maguskwt wrote:
jacdaniel wrote:
maguskwt wrote:Pretty interesting... but to be honest, I don't see how they can benefit from us... it's more like we are tapping their talent...

Money I guess.

Im sure a club like that know that top young players are going to go to Europe to play at the top level.

Yeah... But aren't there other clubs that are willing to pay more than us?

I think it's more about LFC investing in the infrastructure of Nacional's club/youth setup. It means there's long term investment as opposed to just giving money for players. It means we'll get first crack at emerging talent. It's probably way better than having and independent academy down there that probably won't get the talent that National and Penarol will. It makes a lot of sense when you look at the concentration of talent in Uruguay. It's not like Brazil or Argentina where the talent seems to be more geographically dispersed.

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:42 pm**

It's a small country, it CANNOT be too dispersed

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:42 pm**

I think it's a great idea. 14 players that played in the Copa America came from Nacional's youth system. That's really good. They will basically train these players up, and we can much more easily track the players they are improving.

Then we can give them a fair price, probably more then they would receive if a Dutch club or Danish club or something tried to pick them up.

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:49 pm**

I'm not knocking it or anything as we seem to be reaping a couple of rewards from the Uruguay success. My only concern (especially as its a relatively small country) is that form is ephemeral. What happens if Uruguay get dumped out first round next time round? Does it mean the talent is no longer there? (bar one or two). Just saying that's all.

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:16 pm**

not necessarily, many countries have a few really good players who are surrounded by 7 or 8 who are simply miles behind. So long as Nacional are producing the few good ones then I wouldn't read to much into how the nacional fare as a whole. I'm happy about this deal anyway, certainly gives us a presence in South America from a marketing perspective as well

Posted: **Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:03 am**

It can't be wrong to have friends around the globe. Also makes us an "easier" targets for fans of that country/club to like us and start following us. They don't have that much money and it's a match made in heaven if we have the option before others to get a few players for tryouts, first buy options etc. It also makes it easier for us to buy young players in south america and sending them on loan to Nacional for a few years etc. It's important that both sides gain advantages though and I guess they will get money and a few younger players etc.

Posted: **Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:23 am**

jimmy brighton wrote:My only concern (especially as its a relatively small country) is that form is ephemeral. What happens if Uruguay get dumped out first round next time round?

I guess folks have a number of more pressing things to worry about than Uruguay´s performance in the 2015 Copa. I suspect Kenny might be thinking about Stoke this saturday.

Posted: **Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:05 am**

Yeah fair enough. Then what's the point of this thread?

Posted: **Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:45 am**

Ultimately, a similar relationship with Corinthians (for example) would be likely to generate more of the players we are after, but Uruguay have a proud tradition of football, and I think this is a good move for us. Certainly, fans and players in a country like Uruguay are more likely to have respect for history (I guess) than some whose heads might be turned by the new rich of Chelsea and Man City. I think that makes us in good stead as a partner for Nacional. And Uruguayan football is hot right now - the next generation of players from Uruguay are being inspired by the heroes of today, including Liverpool's Suarez and Coates. Why would we spurn an opportunity like this to become Uruguay's English team?

Posted: **Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:48 am**

Uruguay already have Liverpool F.C. of Montevideo.

So they will naturally love us