One of the paths to happiness

(published in the Slovak daily Sport)

Many successful former Slovak football internationals often say that their generation had no chance to transfer abroad at all, or only after turning thirty, near the end of their careers. They had no choice. Today’s talents, especially in the past decade, can choose their own life paths, even trying their luck abroad before adulthood through football academies.

Differing opinions
Milan Lešický, pondering the question of why our successes are not more frequent, took aim at foreign football academies. He views them negatively. He called their graduates without education or expertise “unfortunates.” He warns parents and coaches to seriously consider whether to place their sons in such environments. The player agent Karol Csontó responded by clearly outlining the advantages of foreign academies: incomparable infrastructure, better training processes, professional staff, medical facilities, much higher-quality competitions, more frequent international exposure, and overall atmosphere including even meals shared “at the same table” with stars, which boosts motivation. Let’s add to that: the much closer proximity to the first team and top-tier football. After reading Csontó’s article, the number of slightly offended Slovak youth coaches may have exceeded the number of fingers on two hands, but otherwise, the colleague’s analysis holds up.

Would they do better at home?
The statistics don’t lie. Many players of youth age abroad did not make it. Foreign academies are indeed not a miracle for our football or for parents, as Lešický claims. But are they a negative? If the 33 young footballers, whom Lešický says didn’t succeed in the academies, had all stayed and played youth football in Slovakia, would their performance have been better? You can’t say yes with certainty. Would they have progressed significantly if the Slovak Football Association (SFZ) had kept them “under constant control,” as technical director Ján Greguš suggested? Would they have learned languages better? No. Spending a few years abroad improves their English. In Italy, they learn a language they might never have otherwise. Would they be better educated? Some perhaps yes, others not. It depends on how much their parents value education. I have a client who attended school every day for two years in Warsaw, had an individual plan back in Slovakia, and had no problem passing his final exams after returning.

So, those who end up without education or expertise because they spent time abroad and cannot continue even after returning can be called “unfortunates.” But that’s due to personal or parental irresponsibility, not the fault of foreign academies. It’s never too late to continue one’s education - just look at Czech hockey player Jaromír Jágr. If Hamšík, Stoch and Weiss had not gone abroad around the age of sixteen, would they have made it to the senior national team before the 2010 World Cup? Would we have achieved that success without their growth in Italian and English clubs?

Case by case
It’s clear that athletic conditions are better in developed countries, yet going to a foreign academy carries its risks. Many boys dream their dreams, and if they have the required performance level, are mentally prepared, and receive an offer through a club scout or agent, then the pros and cons need careful consideration. Each case must be evaluated individually. It’s essential to assess mental resilience, personality, attachment to parents and siblings, language skills, level of parental support, and school performance. It's just as important to consider educational opportunities as the athletic ones. By the way, the topic of dual careers for athletes has been a subject of interest in the European Union in recent years.

Foreign academies are not the only solution for the most talented. If boys begin regularly playing in the Slovak premier league (Corgoň League) while still in youth age, they don’t need to worry about academies. They can transfer later directly from a Slovak first team to a foreign first team, like many before them who were raised in our domestic conditions.

Clubs could lose players
Slovak clubs should aim to create conditions so that the advantages of staying home can at least partially match the pros of academies. If they offer a young footballer a professional contract as a gift for his sixteenth birthday - even if it’s just for minimum wage - and the player and his parents freely accept it, that’s fine. Foreign clubs must then reach an agreement with Slovak clubs. A young player cannot be forced to sign his first contract with his home club (see the European Court of Justice in the Bernard case). The possibility of pursuing a career abroad at a young age cannot be limited. In most cases, a player cannot simply be “stolen” from a home club - that is, transferred from a Slovak club without training compensation -even if he signs a professional contract abroad later. However, under certain circumstances, it is possible. This stems from FIFA’s international transfer rules and consistent rulings by FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber. These cases involve situations where a club does not show interest in a player by offering a contract in the prescribed manner after the previous one expires.

Let them go
Our youth football successes are certainly not less frequent because many boys have left for academies. The most talented, mentally resilient, linguistically prepared, and family-supported players should continue to pursue their dreams. Ideally, with a good agreement in place with their home club.