Is it possible to be successful with Athletic Bilbao in the long-term?

Due to the fact that Athletic can only sign Basque players, I would imagine it's really difficult to be successful with them.

Obviously in the first season they have some quality players such as Martinez, Muniain and Llorente, but if they're sold, there's no one half decent to replace them with.

They haven't got a massive reputation, so there are quite a few Basque players that won't go there, and I can't imagine there are that many great regens coming through that are Basque.

[On a side note, are all players that come through the academy there Basque?]

Ta

Yes all those as well as many coming through Osasuna's, Alavez and Real Sociedad's will be Basque.

Also, while you might not be able to sign the likes of Xabi Alonso immediately, in real life at least, they're huge among Basque people! Biggest club and a real DREAM to play for! So usually they have no trouble attracting Basque players, they consider it an honour to play for them.

And they do have very good youth facilities/academy and so you will get some great regens just like in real life. But really at the end, it depends on how you define 'success'. If you mean go head to head and challenge for title against likes of Barca and Real and their star-studded billion $$ international squads, then yeah that'll be next to impossible. But if you mean establish the club as they are right now as a perennial force and always in top division and even playing for Europe at times and a nice Europa league here and there, then sure and that's what they're doing in real life which is a success given the policies and restriction.

If you sign players before the age of 17 - they qualify as Basque as well.

You need to be really on the ball with your scouts to make a Bilbao save work.

they really shouldn;t achieve any success whatsoever, until they stop discriminating.

Please don't turn this into another "Bilbao are Racists!"* thread please. Head over to the Football Forum if you want to discuss their approach to football.

*

If you sign players before the age of 17 - they qualify as Basque as well.

You need to be really on the ball with your scouts to make a Bilbao save work.

The second part is the best tip you will ever receive playing as Bilbao. Although I do not agree with nationalisation of players like Bilbao have decided to do, that is also a good tip. When looking for players look at the likes of the clubs named by PLF, as well as players from Baskonia (I found a future gem for my Zaragoza team), Baraklado (sp?), Eibar and don't forget Aviron Bayonnais in French National.

It's perfectly possible to create a successful side just from the Athletic academy, just as it is from any club's academy. See dafuge's FM10 save with Tooting & Mitcham for evidence.

Although that is true, it would be silly to forget all the other players of Basque Nationality that are available (unless it is part of a challenge of course).

Good tip. Don't forget you can sign likes of Yeste who just left Athletic in real life after years....

And don't forget there are some French Basque players you can sign and in rare cases even South Americans like Javier Aguirre in real life or Rodolfoi Arraubarrena (Formerly Villarreal Left-back who was Argentinian)

If you sign players before the age of 17 - they qualify as Basque as well.

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How is that?

Regular Spanish folks adopt Basque 2nd nationality if signed by Athletic before 17? I'm confused.

If you need a goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is as Basque as you like...

How is that?

Regular Spanish folks adopt Basque 2nd nationality if signed by Athletic before 17? I'm confused.

Exactly the same as becoming home-grown for another club.

he's also as sh** as you like, i should know, i'm an arsenal fan

Aduriz (Formerly of Athletic and currently with Valencia) is a very good striker you can re-sign too once he gets a bit older as he's unlike to wanna jump ship yet....

Exactly the same as becoming home-grown for another club.

But being 'HG' is different than instantly adopting a 2nd nationality, especially Basque! Surprised this works like that because I don't think it does in real life. Athletic players are all real Basque or at least partly (half-basque). They don't sign regular Spanish youth and put him in team because it goes against policy.

have SI included this in the game. I don't think they included the fact that Zenit (I think it is) don't sign black people because of the anti-racism message they are sending. So I doubt they would include Bilbao only being able to sign Basque players? I could be wrong though..

have SI included this in the game. I don't think they included the fact that Zenit (I think it is) don't sign black people because of the anti-racism message they are sending. So I doubt they would include Bilbao only being able to sign Basque players? I could be wrong though..

Yes, what's this thread for ?

mikel arteta is a good shout, maybe if you have 10-15 million he may be interested

It's certainly one of the most interesting saves available in the game, the restrictions really test your scouting and youth development skills. Also as far as I recall Athletic Bilbao are the only other team apart from Real and Barca to have never been relegated from the top division

Yah it's a big team.

I think it is Spanish players 16 and under that you can sign. It might be hard to achieve long term success but you can gain a lot of money over the years and I have heard it is more than possible to keep Llorente, Muniain and Javi Martinez.

Do not let this thread turn into a racism debate or the thread will be closed.

Yeah because those players like many others in game even those who aren't currently at club such as Aduriz have Athletic Bilbao as their absolute fav club. So unless they're not the loyal type (which the players usually are) or extremely ambitious, you can keep them.

I still don't think you can just sign regular Spanish under 16 though, they must have Basque 2nd nationality which they can also get by being BORN in Basque country (Bilbao, Pamplona etc.) and don't necessarily have to have Basque parents.

There's a young Spanish CB/RB at start of game there who's half Angolan and Black actually. But he's also Basque because he's born in Barkrlalado (or however you spell it) so he counts for example. Doubt his Spanish dad is actually Basque.

You can sign any Spanish player 16 or under. I started a game and you can offer contracts to non-Basque 16 or under Spanish players. Just offered a contract to a half Spanish half Moroccan 16 year old in Sevilla's youth team.

I see. Weird.

I got them into the champions league in the 5th season. although this isnt so much of an achievement because they got into it the season before I got offered the job aswell. I didn't realise they only signed basque players till after I accepted the job (duhrr xD) but found I just got carried by munain, agirretxe and reisgo most of the time. Left after one season because there was no good basque players that werent at athletic.

Would be a really fun game imo