Premier League - Meet Arsenal's real dream team

Eurosport - Thu, 13 Nov 12:54:00 2008

Those who watched Arsenal's kids outclass a full-strength Wigan side in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night were again left wondering just where Arsenal keep finding all these players?

2008-2009 Arsenal Arsene Wenger - 0

Arsenal's ability to unearth gems from around the world is now legendary but still little is known about the people who actually find all these amazing talents.

Eurosport.yahoo.co.uk takes a look at Arsenal's real dream team - their scouting network - a collection of individuals who save the club a fortune in transfer fees.

Manager - Arsene Wenger

We have to start at the top, and manager Wenger really is the brains behind the whole operation. From his first day in charge he set about bringing a global vision to the club. Only after studying an extensive dossier and video footage of a player will Wenger even consider making a move for him. He is always the ultimate judge when it is decided whether a player is good enough for Arsenal.

Chief scout - Steve Rowley

The leader of a scouting operation that includes seven English scouts and 16 more abroad, Rowley will always travel to watch a player before he is recommended to Wenger. Rowley has been at Arsenal for 30 years and discovered the likes of Tony Adams and Ray Parlour, but before Wenger arrived he had never been on a working assignment outside of Britain. Since then he has travelled all over the planet and is held in such high esteem that clubs have constantly tried to poach him. He recently turned down a big money move to Zenit St Petersburg.

Spanish scout - Francis Cagigao

Cagigao is a former youth player at Arsenal and Barcelona but while he never quite made it as a first-teamer he has become a valuable asset as a scout. Cagigao is the man who identified Cesc Fabregas as a player worth chasing and he recommended Lionel Messi to Arsenal with work permit issues preventing a move for the Argentine at the time. Recently he discovered Fran Merida - tipped as the 'new Fabregas' - who starred against Wigan.

South American scout - Sandro Orlandelli

Based in Brazil, Orlandelli immediately called Rowley when he saw Carlos Vela playing at the World Youth Championships in Peru. Orlandelli also became friends with Vela's father, which helped seal the deal. Denilson was another Orlandelli discovery, while he also first spotted young left-sided player Pedro Botelho who is currently on loan at Salamanca in Spain. He scouted Olympiacos striker Diogo, for whom Arsenal had two bids rejected before his move to Greece from Sao Paulo side Portuguesa.

The close friend - Jean-Marc Guillou

Not directly on the Arsenal payroll, yet Guillou has been a key player in the Arsenal success story. His football schools in Africa helped unearth Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, and his close relationship with Wenger made sure that the Arsenal boss found out first. Guillou was also manager of Belgian club Beveren during the co-operation agreement between the clubs which ran from 2001until 2006.

French scout - Gilles Grimandi

Wenger has an in-depth knowledge of the French game, but when he hears about a top prospect in his homeland he instructs former player Grimandi to keep a keen eye on him. Positive reports from Grimandi on the likes of Abou Diaby, Bacary Sagna, Alex Song, and Mathieu Flamini persuaded Wenger to sign them.

The international partnerships performance supervisor - Steve Morrow

Most famous for scoring the winning goal in the 1993 League Cup final before breaking his arm in the post-match celebrations, Morrow recently started managing Arsenal's international partnerships, which currently includes the Colorado Rapids of the MLS, BEC Tero of Thailand and Hoang Anh Gia Lai of Vietnam. Morrow also assists Arsenal's academies in countries such as Egypt and Ghana.

Scandinavian scout - Bobby Bennett

Bennett has been working for Arsenal in Scandinavia for seven years and helped to persuade Nicklas Bendtner to join the club by presenting him with a signed shirt from his favourite player - Robert Pires. Bennett also scouted Havard Nordtveit, a 17-year-old Norwegian centre-half who is considered one of Arsenal's top prospects and who is currently on loan with Botelho at Salamanca.

Germany scout - Thomas Kost

It didn't 'Kost' much for Arsenal to get either Philippe Senderos or Lukasz Fabianski because both were spotted by Kost early in their careers.

Italian scout - Tony Banfield

Banfield is the son of reserve team coach Neil. His big recent discovery was Johan Djourou who came up on his radar after he overheard two agents talking about the Swiss centre-half at a youth tournament in Croatia.

The ex-players - Peter Clarke and Danny Karbassiyoon

Two more former Arsenal youth players are part of the scouting network, with Clarke based in Holland and Karbassiyoon covering North America and Mexico.

The head of youth development - Liam Brady

The Arsenal and Ireland legend oversees the development of the young players once they arrive at Arsenal, ensuring they can play Wenger's unique brand of football. He has been at the club since just before Wenger arrived in 1996. Former Arsenal great Steve Bould is also involved with the youngsters as head coach of the Under-18 Academy side.

Seán Fay / Eurosport

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  1. goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooner

    From slimdegsy, on Mon 9 Mar 5:16PM

  2. dear sir
    i really need your time assistance,i can prepare my visa my self,but i can really pay for the fees,so please help me with time assistance i really need your help to be a destined footballer please help me with my dream and destine.
    the football academy is where i am dreaming to be ,i wish to join the the academy, i have always dream t of joining the academy,sir i am unable to join the academy not because it is not my desire to play for the academy but because my father cannot afford the academy fees, sir i believe you will help,please sir i really need your help to be a destined footballer in life so as to achieve my goal and dream as a footballer.
    i don’t have enough fund for my academy fees,so i want you sir;ma to please allow me school for at least a month or so before paying.i need your time assistance.
    i don’t mind working in the night just to raise money for my fees within my specified range of time if you help me with job-employment , i promise to pay back with interest just to get me join the academy.or
    the academy can kindly allow me school till i graduate before paying from the money i will earning from my job and new club, i will not mind paying with interest.
    if the academy helps me with the second option that means any money i makes from my club after graduation the academy will take 60% of my annual income for 4 years.
    i also promise to donate one million dollar[$1,000,000,00]to the development’s of the academy and also sponsor the the improvement of the academy us to show my enthusiasm to ward becoming a footballer and my sincere gratitude to the academy,if you help me,their will also be a sign of agreement between me and the academy for the above listed,if the academy helps me,
    i want you to send your phone number and how you will come and pick me from the air port during my arrival if you aggree to my proposals.
    please sir i need your urgent reply,so that i can be able to purshance my visa if you accept my offer,
    thanks as i patia

    From amucheokogbue, on Wed 21 Jan 2:54PM

  3. Yeah Oliver.. I believe you.. Ur a good Analyst.. Its like Student taking examination.. They must Perform infact excel.. No excuse if u dont excel, its bcos u are not good.. So the lecturer will say try again.. The World are waiting for result and Trophies not playing good football.. So gear up Wenger and Stop this Building of a thing spend to reap.. The Champions spent and they are winners today.. I don't believe in ur principle i believe in result.. Wake Up from ur slumber Manager..

    From stephenbell4reality, on Fri 14 Nov 12:16PM

  4. The Funniest Story for five years is that Arsenal Fc keeps playing the best football without trophies.. All we need is to make history not building baby players.. Funny Wenger and Fans..hahaha You are Ignored..

    From oliver_thms, on Fri 14 Nov 12:09PM

  5. All Hail the Mighty Arsene Wenger with his youngstars without Trophy for 5 years now..haha funny

    From sammywealth, on Fri 14 Nov 12:05PM

  6. getting young players are good,but my only fear is that these players when matured are rather exposed to other big clubs to buy so they wont be there to win trophies for asernal

    From emmanuel e, on Thu 13 Nov 9:30AM

  7. ONE THING I ADMIRE ARSENE WENGER OF,IS BELIEVE IN SELF AND WITH THE CURRENT FORM OF HIS YOUNGSTERS HIS DREAM WILL SOON TURN TO REALLITY AND EVEN IF THE WHOLE WORLD DONT BELIEVE IN YOU I BELIEVE WITH NO DOUBTS WHATSOEVER THAT YOU WILL MAKE IT. DONT GIVE UP PROFF.

    From bobbykimciku, on Thu 13 Nov 9:03AM

  8. Its was used to be chelsea....

    but the name has been changed since the arrival of Roman as CHELSKI....and they will make it official soon

    From jobsking, on Thu 13 Nov 6:17AM

  9. ray you're a chelsea fan with an avatar of a liverpool player? gerrard?! explain that one, or do you just FOLLOW chelscum. Big difference you freak. People like you have taken all the tradiitions out of football.

    From Ash C, on Thu 13 Nov 4:13AM

  10. Wenger is a great coach and very good in developing talents, but he can't depend all on these wonder kids if he really wants to lift trophies. The trophies won in the past were won by real great and matured players.

    From Monsuru, on Thu 13 Nov 4:12AM

  11. The great visioneer is at work... All hail the great and mighty ARSENE WENGER!!!!!!!!!

    From godwin onas, on Thu 13 Nov 2:33AM

  12. The great visioneer is at work.......Al hail the great ARSENE WENGER!!!

    From godwin onas, on Thu 13 Nov 2:31AM

  13. iconoclast_das2003 how old r u? 4 or 5?

    From starman_123, on Thu 13 Nov 2:22AM

  14. Post 54: Please don't embarrass yourself, Chelsea have Lampard, J.Cole, A. Cole, Terry, and Bridge, and the last time I checked they were ENGLISH, and play for England.

    From starman_123, on Thu 13 Nov 2:15AM

  15. #59 tottenham 4 - 2 loserfool. great team huh???? thats funny

    From andrei hanafi?, on Thu 13 Nov 1:17AM

  16. Re: #73
    You're right, it should be Chel$ki

    From optimus prime, on Wed 12 Nov 11:54PM

  17. WENGER VERY INTELLIGENT MANAGER, HE IS LIKE ME ON MY FOOTBALL MANAGER GAME, OR AM I LIKE HIM? OH WELL WE ARE BOTH INTELLIGENT MANAGERS.

    From Wilson-M, on Wed 12 Nov 11:21PM

  18. i'm not a chelsea fn but i got to admit u weirdos are dissing chelsea and u cant even get the name right is chelsea not chelski, chelski dont exist for all i know

    From ray, on Wed 12 Nov 11:03PM

  19. stupid column if he did buy in big names you' be given out he's not giving british players like wilshire, simpson, randall, gibbs, and hoyte a chance, how many articles have we seen saying the reason english int team is suffering is cos young english players not given a chance...
    then when a coach actually does it he's wrong...
    arsenal not just feeder team they are the future!!!!!

    From guinnessman, on Wed 12 Nov 10:05PM

  20. best in the world

    From Asty B, on Wed 12 Nov 9:06PM
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