In yesterday’s Daily Banter, we discussed Robinho’s departure from Manchester City back to his previous employer, Brazilian club Santos. Robinho’s move to Santos reignited the tired debate about whether there is something in the South American water that prevents its players from coping in Europe. But there are way too many South American success stories to seriously entertain this debate. Argentine Éver Banega’s recent and drastic turn of form with Valencia is yet another example of a South American success story.
Banega, a former Boca Juniors player, struggled with Valencia largely due to a lack of discipline. But this season, a newly focused Banega has shown that discipline and hard work may just be the keys to success. Shocking, I know. Adapting to a new culture is always a challenge. But a player’s ability to adapt to a foreign culture is surely more complex than simply determining where that player is from. Don’t you think?
