Atlas Youth Academy Shines in 2016

In contrast to the performance of the first team, Atlas' youth academy stood out in each of its divisions in 2016. With the final of the Fourth Division still to be played in January, the rojinegra youth teams have won seven titles, finished as runners-up twice, and reached the playoffs on five occasions this year, which marked the club's centenary.

Luis Manuel Díaz y Díaz, director of the youth academy since Grupo Salinas took over the institution, attributes this success to three years of hard work, during which they restructured a "forgotten academy" under the previous management.

Encouraged by the achievements of the project he leads, Díaz y Díaz assures that the club can be at ease, as the future of Atlas looks bright thanks to the generation of new talent from within their own ranks.

Considering the positive results this year and the apparent resurgence of the Atlas youth academy, can the institution feel confident that there are foundations for a better future?

Yes (they can be at ease). People from outside have come and they realize the work we have done. When compared to other clubs, it is surprising. The youngsters don't arrive alone, nor do they become successful on their own. This was the result of the efforts of many coaches and coordinators, it didn't happen in six months, it's the fruit of three years, that's why we have results.

We have clear objectives, the idea is that in the future, 75 to 80 percent of the first team players are Mexican and from our youth academy. We want to have two or three top-level foreign players in key positions, but our own homegrown players should stand out. If we want to make a difference, we should have only two or three foreigners. People know about our academy and get excited when a homegrown player steps onto the field, it's part of the club's philosophy.

How long will it take for the work in the youth teams to bear fruit in the first team?

It's a medium to long-term process, this three-year period was about restructuring and now we aim for consolidation. The players who are already on the first team need to establish themselves. Now we have the Aztec Generation, which consists of 10 players ready to be considered for the first team. We are talking about one to three more years to achieve the goal of having 75 to 80 percent of homegrown players in the first team.

How many of your youth players are involved in the different national teams?

We have 21 national team players spread across the youth divisions, from under 13 to under 22 or under 23. When we arrived in 2013, there were maybe three or four players selected, today we have more than 20.

What needs to be done for these young players to establish themselves in the first team and not get lost along the way?

We emphasize that last step a lot, we discuss it and we know that reaching the First Division is the most difficult part. We are preparing the players by focusing on the mental aspect, because the quality is assumed to be there, that's why they are at these levels. We need to know how to guide the Under 17 or Under 20 players who are already close to the first team.

We can't burden them with the responsibility of making Atlas champions on their own, they need to go through a maturation process. They have a part of the responsibility for what happens in the first team, but they can't carry that weight, we just have to give them confidence, that way they will develop and mature. When they have the right age and the necessary minutes, then they will be responsible for taking Atlas to the top.

Quotes
"We can't burden them with the responsibility of making Atlas champions on their own, they need to go through a maturation process"

"One to three more years to achieve the goal of having 75 to 80 percent of homegrown players in the first team"

"It was the result of the efforts of many coaches and coordinators, it didn't happen in six months, it's the fruit of three years"

Facts
3 years is the time frame estimated by Atlas to only use three foreigners

7 titles were won by Atlas' youth teams in 2016

Key
In the first team

In 2016, Atlas debuted Sergio Rodríguez, Diego Cruz, and Jairo Torres, all 16 years old, in the first team. Players like Brayan Garnica, Daniel Álvarez, Martín Barragán, and Luis Reyes consolidated themselves in the first team.