Real Madrid's Academy System

The Spanish press is on Mourinho's back once again. This time, they're using the young kids at the Academy as a weapon to attack him. Yesterday, Real Madrid's coach talked about Real Madrid's Academy system and said that he hasn't broken Real Madrid's tradition with canteranos. Out of a big list of 30 players that made their debut with the first team, only Raúl Bravo and Paco Pavón stayed there.

Mourinho belives that Castilla should play with the 4-2-3-1 formation the first team uses. But that's not happening. Toril usually plays a 4-4-2, with Jesé as a false striker, a position that doesn't exist in Mourinho's system. The Portuguese coach believes that's not helping the young players, and he's right. If Jesé is used to play and develops well in that position he's playing now, he'll lack the experience to play in Mourinho's 4-2-3-1.

Defender Nacho is playing as a centerback in Segunda División, but Mourinho talked with Toril in the past to let him know that he has no chance of becoming the team's backup centerback. But, he could be the team's second right back. Nacho is short for an elite centerback. Arbeloa played as a centerback with Castilla as well but he ended up being a very solid right back instead.

So now, the Spanish tabloids have Mourinho and Toril's bad relationship on their covers, even though the Portuguese coach stated that he gets along "normal" with Toril. He also said he respects Toril's authority to play as he wants to finish well-ranked in Segunda División.

The press doesn't care about the canteranos. They are just using them as a weapon to attack Mourinho's status at Real Madrid. For now, Toril should start implementing Mourinho's 4-2-3-1. It's better to finish Segunda División in the lower part of the table (without relegating) than doing it tenth or eleventh with players that won't be used to play in the position Mourinho requires them to.