By Steve Anglesey
Published 13:10 07/09/11
After signing Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates, Liverpool are looking at more signings from Uruguay . Here's guest writer Christopher Atkins to explain why the country is in a football boom - and which stars could be headed to Anfield next. Follow Chris on Twitter @chris_elastico and check out his website The ElasticoWhichever way you look at it, Uruguayan football is soaring on the crest of a wave at the moment. World Cup semi-finalists in 2010 and Copa America winners in 2011, it is the stuff of dreams for a country with a population little bigger than Wales.
At club level too, a similar picture is emerging, with Nacional becoming the first Uruguayan side in 20 years to reach the Copa Libertadores semi-final in 2009, whilst this year, their historic rivals Peñarol went a step better and reached the final.
It is little surprise therefore, that following the recent deal to take Sebastian Coates from Nacional to Anfield, Liverpool's director of football Damien Comolli is looking at creating a tie-up with the Montevideo giants.
Liverpool already play host to two of the biggest stars of the Uruguayan game, in Luis Suarez and young defender Sebastian Coates, both of whom are products of the prolific Club Nacional academy and it is this connection Comolli is now seeking to utilise.
"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,â he told liverpoolfc.tv.
"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."
This is clearly an outstanding achievement for the club and the production line shows little sign of slowing, with a further six Nacional players involved in the two Youth World Cups held this summer (Two at Under-21 level, Four at Under-17).
Uruguay was a force to be reckoned with in the formative years of international football competitions, winning the first two World Cup competitions (1930, 1950), two Olympic Games' titles (1924, 1928) and did not finish outside of the top three South American Championship (now Copa America) places in their first sixteen attempts in the competition, from 1916 to 1945.
This early development was as a result of the early integration of different communities in Uruguay.
âMontevideo was also something of a cultural mecca in South America in the early 20th Century,â explains Jerrad Peters, author of 'We Call It Soccer'.
âBecause of that, European immigration to the city was significant, and the early development of football was about a decade or two ahead of that in neighbouring Brazil and Argentina as a result.
âThat cultural openness also had practical implications, such as the inclusion of black players in the local and national football teams.â
However, despite this early success, the Uruguayan game went on a downhill slump. The Copa America titles continued to flow slowly, but World Cup performances were a massive disappointment for the nation that had set the standard in the early years.
From 1978 to 1998, Uruguay failed to qualify for four out of six World Cups and although there were Copa America triumphs in this period, there were also three occasions where the once formidable La Celeste side failed to progress from the group-stage of the South American flagship tournament.
Uruguayan football was in decline and the concept of Garra CharrĂșa, or winning through battling spirit, was the prevalent feature of Uruguay's play, rather than any notable technical ability.
However, this was to change after the 1986 World Cup, where Uruguay had demonstrated some of the uglier sides of the game in their campaign which ended at the Round of 16 phase.
Oscar Tabarez came in for his first stint in charge of the side and attempted to get Uruguay playing a nice brand of passing football for Italia 90' and without outstanding immediate results, it has clearly been a change in attitude that has served Uruguay well.
The move away from a physical game has been slow, but necessary in the resurgence of Uruguay and it is interesting to note that it is Tabarez once more who has overseen this post-2006 resurgence of La Celeste once more.
He has overseen a renaissance at international level, but much credit must also go to the clubs and the Uruguayan FA, who have put much time and effort into youth development.
âThere are extremely talented players that come out of Uruguay, the problem is that they were so absorbed by their Garra Charrua,â is the view of GolTV host Juan Arango.
âThere has been a huge push for youth movement, with Uruguay one of the few South American nations to field a team at Under-15 level.â
It is this move towards a technique-based game from an early age that is serving Uruguay well. They still maintain the street-smart attitudes, learned as kids on the streets of Montevideo, but they are now expected to express themselves as a team in a more expansive manner.
Liverpool will no doubt hope this surge of Uruguayan talent will continue and talk of a link with the Club Nacional can only be a good thing for the Merseyside club. It is a no-lose situation, where they could potentially secure some of the country's finest young talent.
Only this summer, Liverpool took another Uruguayan on a two-week trial, in this case 18-year-old Nicolas Albarracin of Montevideo Wanderers.
Having made his first-team debut at 17, the attacking midfield playmaker is said to have impressed during his time in England and in a recent interview stated that the club will continue to watch him for the next six-months, before a possible return to Anfield.
With this Nacional link in mind, the attentions of some Anfield scouts will no doubt be on the Montevideo club's academy, in the hope of the emergence of a 'new Luis Suarez'.
Nineteen-year-old Nicolas Prieto looked a decent player in defensive midfield at the Under-20 World Cup this summer, whilst new signing Matias Vecino also played a composed passing game from midfield in the same tournament.
More interesting is 17-year-old left-footed forward Nicolas Lopez, who has attracted the attention of Italian clubs , falling out with his club side over the issue. Having scored three goals in his first two professional games, the boy is clearly a talent. But, with the issue now with FIFA and the player's father pushing for a move to Italy, it may be too late for Liverpool on this occasion.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/football-spy/Liverpool-Uruguay-transfer-targets-How-Nicolas-Lopez-Nicolas-Prieto-Matias-Vecino-Nicolas-Albarracin-culd-be-next-on-Damien-Comolli-wanted-list-article795883.html
