Juventus Youth Report August 2014

By tdf, August 20, 2014

With the start of the season finally looming large on the horizon and most mercato noise focused on Vidal and our final list of potential recruits for the senior squad, I shall endeavour to provide an update on the major happenings for our blossoming youth sector.

In no particularly logical order whatsoever, I will highlight the major moves of a very busy summer which has yet to settle down and release the resting and recuperating dogs of war from their kennels…

Whilst most attention regarding the greek-Juve axis seemed to be revolving around our odd interest in Kostas Manolas, the channel has already led to a transfer which should be of interest…to anyone following the career of former Ajax youth star, Ouasim Bouy.

After been ear-marked for the Ajax senior squad, Beppe snapped up the youngster in 2012. Then sent him to Brescia on loan where he quickly established himself in the first team, and was proving a valuable player in an attacking midfield role until disaster struck in early 2013 when Ouasim ruptured his ACL during a friendly match. As we are all too painfully aware from Quagliarella’s similar injury, the road back to full fitness from such an injury is lengthy and fraught with ongoing concerns over whether the player can regain his previous form. He seemed close to ready last Summer, but the club chose to retain him at Vinovo to ensure that he was fully healed before finding the player a new loan club. In January of this year we found him a place at struggling Hamburg of the bundesliga. Unfortunately for the Bouy, he was used for only three games before a change of management precluded any further involvement. So back he came to our ranks in May.

 

Surely by now fully fit and desperate to prove himself, the former Dutch U17 and U19 starlet has moved to Greek top division side, Panathinaikos. Again on loan. Still only 21 years old the play-maker has time on his side and I for one will be eagerly following his career in Greece. Whilst Greek cup holders Panathinaikos were dumped out of the champions league qualifiers recently, by Belgian stalwarts Standard Liege, they have found an easier path in the Europa league play-offs where they face Danish side Midtjylland to fight for a place in the group stage.

Finishing second in the league last season, yet winning the domestic cup, Bouy has the chance now to not only help his new side make up lost ground on Greek powerhouse Olympikaios, but potentially, also make his European début.

Whilst sticking with the foreign clubs focus, we move swiftly to Holland, more specifically to Den Bosch, where Ruud Van Nistelroy began his career many moons ago. Whilst it is interesting to note that their manager is called Mr Kaiser, of more interest to most will be the recent loan moves to the club of wide forward Edoardo Ceria and defender Fillipo Penna from our primavera. Plying their trade in the second tier of Dutch football, known as the Juliper league, Den Bosch made the play-offs last term, yet were soundly thrashed 5-2 on aggregate by Excelsior…Excelsior? Kaiser? Hitler and swords?…Both 19 year olds were regulars for the primavera last season and I wish them well in their first forage into senior football. It will come as no small bonus to aid their acclimatization to a new club and culture to find a comrade nearby.

En route slowly back to Italy, we make a brief stop in none other than Democracy central, Saudi Arabia. Whilst I could rabidly rant about how the best friend of the US government, likely with Mossad assistance, has financed and created the IS brigade, who have recently taken over vast swathes of Iraq and Syria and appear hell-bent on forcing their caliphate on the middle east and even Spain…I will instead polarize my sights on Mbaye Diagne. The towering 9ft monster of a man we signed on a whim from FC Bra of Serie D fame last Summer…

Diagne shares a name with a renowned war hero…Mbaye Diagne, who appears, from whichever way you look at his efforts during the Hutu massacre of Tutsis and even moderate Hutus, as a bonafide hero. Again I could launch into a brutal analysis of then US President Bill Clinton’s despicable handiwork in the affair (withholding evidence, refusing to recognise the genocide taking place…still, at least old billy boy was not giving the Hutus $3bn of weapons every year, then when the world was watching the massacres, comment on the ‘violence from both sides’ and send another $225m of military aid to ensure that more gazan children can be slaughtered by genocidal Zionist scum…indeed, Billy boy was plankton in comparison to the Great White Obama), yet my work here and now must be at least mainly aimed at footballing affairs…so…Indeed, we signed Diagne after a stellar season in Italy’s fourth division. He moved to Lierse of Belgium, where he racked up 7 goals in 11 games, including a memorable hatrick against Mons. Whilst the 22 year old was of major interest to Romanian club Steau Bucharest, it was Al-Shabab of Saudi Arabia who won the two horse race for his signature. The centre-forward moves on loan for the season. After proving highly valuable in Belgium, a move to Saudi Arabia hardly appears an encouraging next step on his journey to stardom, yet perhaps we have made some money from the deal and the player will at least, not be alone during periods of fasting…

Moving to Switzerland, we have extended the loan deal for right full-back Joel Untersee for another year with FC Vaduz. The South African born, Danish defender, who has represented Denmark at every level from U15 to U20, enjoyed a successful 13/14 campaign in the Swiss Super League, maintaining a first team place for much of the season. He has played in every one of his club’s first three league matches of the recently began championship and also featured in three of his side’s Europa league qualifiers in July, which saw Vaduz leave the competition after losing 2-3 on aggregate to Polish outfit, Ruch.

Fausto Rossi’s loan move to relegation favourites in la liga side Cordoba hardly seems a positive move forward for the 23 year old midfielder. Whilst his club from last season, Valladolid, were relegated, his new club only found their way into the play-offs due to the ineligibility of Barcelona B, who finished above them in the second tier.

That seems enough of foreign pastures, let us turn our attentions to il bel paese, where I recently ventured into the homeland of half my blood, Sicily and experienced a culture and medley of enriching experiences which left me more relaxed and content than I have been for many moons. I guess part of me felt like it was home. The look on my Siracusan cousin’s face when I suggested that I should wear my Juve shirt when I visited Rome was remarkably concerned…I refrained from such a brazen act of…unsportsmanlike behaviour, and remain here and now, reveling in the memories of Sicilia, which was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Rome was wretched, Sicily was magnificent. The food, the air, the ocean, the majesty of the architecture, the women, the passion…Highly advised for a lengthy visit. Back to the calcio…

I feel it is well worth keeping a steely gaze upon Serie A newcomers Cesena, who have our heir-apparent to Buffon, Nicola Leali, between the sticks and also the ultra promising Icelandic defender Hordur Magnusson in their ranks. Both players were registered with Spezia in Serie B last term, and both of the new deals are loans. Leali has produced stunning performances over the last two seasons and if he can continue such fine form in the upper tier perhaps we will all begin to feel a little less fearful of the day when Gigi finally hangs up his boots…

 

A player for whom I have long held a torch of hope for greatness, Brazilian regista, Gabriel Appelt, has moved to Pescara on loan, after a decent effort at promotion chasing Spezia. The archangel Gabriel was signed from Resende in early 2012, along with his brother Guierllmo. The regista was loaned out to Pro Vercelli for the 12/13 season, and was performing very well indeed, until disaster struck, and his fibula was fractured. He returned near the end of the ill-fated relegation doomed campaign, then moved to Spezia in the Summer of 2013, where he yet again, produced solid displays in the first team. However lightning does indeed sometimes strike twice and his Spezia career was curtailed by another fracture. His 19 appearances for the club were not enough to earn him a move to the top flight and he has now found a space at Pescara, who finished 15th last time out.

Richmond Boakye was rewarded for his efforts at la liga newcomers Elche by forging a move to Serie side Atalanta after we renewed the co-ownership deal with Genoa for a final year. The 21 year old Ghanaian striker managed 31 appearances for Elche, starting 12, scoring 6 and making one assist. Certainly playing his part in his side’s solid achievement of consolidating their position in the top league of Spanish football.

(apologies for the appalling musical score…in light of which I present one of my favourite of the more recent Nas routines…)

or perhaps a piece of Grimm’s finest work…

Also at Atalanta on loan is Valerio Rosseti, who we picked up on a free from Siena. After his stints in the Italian U18 and U19 squad, the forward has been involved with the U20s of late. His form for Siena last term was solid and improving month by month. At 20 years old, he is too old for their primavera (unless used as one of two allowed over-age players) so must surely be considered for the senior squad. Let us hope he can add to the bristling promise he displayed in the second half of the 13/14 campaign, when he plundered 6 goals and 2 assists.

And to complete the larval hints of Atalanta becoming our crèche, primavera star Leonardo Spinazzola has joined the ranks of the Oribici. His 26 appearances for Siena were enough to earn the winger, comfortable on either flank, a move to join his Juve comrades at the Nerazzurri.

Before taking a quick peek at the primavera I must mention Daniele Rugani. Now a regular for the Italian U21 outfit, the fast blossoming stopper enjoyed a wonderful season in Empoli’s promotion campaign and will be looking to build upon that come the curtain raiser of the Serie A carnival and do his utmost to keep his side in the upper echelons of italian football. Much has been said of his progress, of his maturity, strength and composure on the ball and with all this talk of hunting a new defender, it is fair to assume that Beppe and the coaching staff have ear-marked the youngster as part of our squad for next season. Definitely one to watch.

And so onto our U19 squad, where we have added…

Carlos Blanco – Recruited on a free from Barcelona youngsters Juvenil B. The Barca born towering central defender captained the side to the league title last term and has also been involved with the Spanish international youth set-up. Blanco, 18, travelled with the senior squad for the recent South East Asian tour and made his début as a late sub in the 0-5 victory over Singapore Select XI, operating in front of the defence as an anchorman of sorts. Still young enough for the Primavera, I expect to see him remain there, although if a loan club can be found, all the better.

Adnan Curovic – Another defender joins the club from Sorensen’s old stomping ground of Lyngby. The gigantic Curovic is an U16 regular for the Danish U16 squad and has been described by the his countrymen as ‘very athletic, agile and strong ball playing defender with a humble and dedicated attitude. ‘

I would be doing my readers a disservice by failing to mention the exciting crop of starlets promoted from the Berretti and Allievi ranks.

Often I read of fans criticizing our youth sector efforts, but to my knowledge I know of only the once in a generation group who came through at Man United along with Beckham…the Scholes, Giggs, Butt, Nevilles. And then the Barcelona effort, which produced that wonderful team of Busquets, Messi, Xavi and company. Other than which, I have to head back to the 90s to find the Ajax academy in full swing, as in procuring, training, developing a group of talented kids, with the majority progressing to the senior squad and making waves in the continental game.

Well, perhaps our turn has come. For our primavera welcomes now the next generation of fledgling champions…

In goal, we have Emil Audero. Already part of the U17 Italian set-up.

Moving onto defence, the aforementioned Blanco is joined by the impressive Granatiero in the terzino role, Romagna in the middle, and the returning from injury spanish stalwart Pol Garcia.

My major tip for the future, Norwegian Vajebah Sakor, now 18, will line up alongside the encouraging Vitale, silky skilled Czech combatant Roman Macek and fast growing Greek talent of Roussos.

Manning the front line, Blanco will find a friend in former Barca buddy, Buenacasa, with Clemenza, Pozzebon and King set to offer strident competition to Donis and yet another Spaniard, Otin. And then there is Mr Marzouk, whose name always brings back memories of Tekken…who altered his allegiance from Morocco to France not long ago.

From what I have gathered, over these last few years of following the youth sector, this is the first time I can see a larger amount of potential stars in the primavera, than unknowns. In some respects it seems a shame that we have not found a primavera specialist to take over the reigns from Grosso, but in all fairness, and trying to look on the brighter side, since he was thrust from assistant into the main role, when results and performances under Zanchetta grew too awful to ignore last season, our form has improved.

UPDATES DIRECT FROM MY BRANDING IRONS-

Buoy made his début for Panathinaikos last week. The Dutch flair merchant played 65 minutes in the 1-0 friendly victory over Panahaiki. Which bodes well for his inclusion in the upcoming UEFA LEAGUE qualifier against Midtylland.

Ceria has taken all of two games to make his mark on Belgian football, scoring both in Den Bosch’s 2-0 victory over VVV Venlo. Both strikes were of real quality, especially the first…

Diagne has broken into the first team at Al Shabab, starting and making one assist in his sides 2-0 victory over Al Khaleej.

I shall be maintaining my vigilant reportage of the above and any others unmentioned who demand attention in a report at the mid-way point of the season. Until which, I hope that the news offers some enthusiasm towards our future and that the report proves a welcome read.

As always, Forza Juve…