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Toronto teen plans to play for Canada in 2006 WC


Gian-Luca

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I like a kid with confidence & optimism!

From the Toronto Star:

Oct. 15, 2003. 01:00 AM

Teen star has high hopes for soccer life

Dante Alighieri student seeks deal with English side

For now, school's unbeaten junior team must suffice

DAVID GROSSMAN

SPORTS REPORTER

At 15 years of age, Johnson Akuoko just might be the best high school soccer player in Toronto.

In fact, he's so good that he can hardly wait to get out of town and begin a professional career.

Nothing against Dante Alighieri Academy, his high school of the past two years, where he's played for a junior team that hasn't lost a game.

And no ill feelings either against a school administration that won't allow him to jump age brackets and suit up for the defending Ontario championship senior squad.

Akuoko, who has below-average Grade 10 marks in three of four academic courses, says he is simply putting in time.

Shuffling between home and England twice in the past month, where Akuoko hopes to end up next year playing for Millwall, an English First Division team, tops his priority list.

Already a member of the Canadian under-19 squad, he's thinking about a career in soccer — and a sizable deal to go with it.

"They like me (in England) but I can't sign a contract until I'm 17 so I plan to go over and work my way up to the big team," said Akuoko, who scored the opening goal for the Monarchs yesterday in a 2-2 tie with Michael Power/St. Joseph.

"Pro soccer is my goal and also making good money there too."

While Dante Alighieri might be one of the dominant schools for soccer in Ontario even without him, Akuoko has shown flashes of brilliance in the three games he has played this year. The striker has six goals and has helped set up seven more.

Playing on provincial squads over the past few years, Akuoko has impressed opponents in competitions in Mexico and Peru. Last month, he caught the attention of scouts while playing for Canada in Germany and remains confident he can play in the 2006 World Cup.

Monarchs head coach Bruno Galeota said his team MVP from last year does just about everything well, but what impresses him the most is he doesn't mock opposing players and often takes time to point out ways his teammates can improve.

"The first time I saw him play, he amazed me at how he can simply take control of a game," Galeota said.

"Soccer is big at this school, we have great players, he can pad his scoring stats all he wants but doesn't. Johnson is at another level and the rest of the team is in awe watching him play."

School vice-principal Peter Lee said he was shocked when Akuoko showed up for classes this year.

"We have an elite soccer program at this school and the success has created quite a stink because people say we're stacking teams," Lee said.

"When (Akuoko) showed up — he's by far the best player and very gifted in the sport — things went a bit wild because everyone thought he was staying in England."

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quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

are we going to see him in wcq once he signs with millwall? yeah, he'll be young, but why not bring along a 17 year old as a 4th striker? play him consistently with the u20's and u23's and fast track him? why hasn't he just gone to germany?

Two words: Wyn Belotte.

I'm glad this kid wants to play for Canada and like Wyn has a lot

of energy, angst, and strong abilities for the game. It'll

be nice if the CSA gets youngsters like him to sit and practise

with the senior team and gets exposure at the very least, since our

sports culture is quite different than in Europe.

Don't want to rush him, but some exposure would help.

Hopefully he wouldn't get screwed around by Millwall, like

Belotte did with his Scandinavian experience and McKenna had

with Energie Cottbus.

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Jumping the gun aren't we? What do we know about this kid? Well, we know he thinks highly of himself. But hey, if we went on ego and confidence in one's own game, Nolberto would be fighting for a spot on the national team - and he sucks!

If he's so good, why is he going to Milwall? He'll probably go right to reserves.

quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

are we going to see him in wcq once he signs with millwall? yeah, he'll be young, but why not bring along a 17 year old as a 4th striker? play him consistently with the u20's and u23's and fast track him? why hasn't he just gone to germany?

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quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

millwall is a decent side. better than most of the clubs our players are on.

redhat: you do know that angst means sad, and depressed, angry... right?

After 153 posts, you should have taken a break. Wrong on the soccer front and also on the language front. Your definition of angst worries me. And your post suggesting this young player be part of our senior team has an eerie "Luis" quality to it.

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quote:Originally posted by Ed

After 153 posts, you should have taken a break. Wrong on the soccer front and also on the language front. Your definition of angst worries me. And your post suggesting this young player be part of our senior team has an eerie "Luis" quality to it.

Man ed, you need a fricken hug :)

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"Already a member of the Canadian under-19 squad, he's thinking about a career in soccer — and a sizable deal to go with it."

I believe this was a missprint and should have read under-17 developpement squad as he is nor with the U-17 or U-20.and most definately not U-23. Lets hope he works his way up,but we all know that these are the hardest years to stay focused on a soccer career (ie. Girls, cars, school,and many others. CSA did not mention how well he did while in Germany with Stephen Hart ...Did not score any goals anyway.

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The kid turned 15 in April. Come on now. Let's have some sanity on this board.

And to Sean, let me just sing a little "No one likes me, I don't care".

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Now, now. Let's not go confusing the issue with facts.

Still, have to laugh. Was doing a little singing myself, quite loudly, and alone, in my living room in solitarity with the WWC team just last week.

"What are you singing? The neighbour's will be thinking you're crazy." says the Wee Elf.

"Well, nobody likes the way our women's team plays. Rough, direct and winning. But you know what? WE DON'T CARE. Right, Charity?"

"The Americans just scored again, Dad."

"DOHP!!!"

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quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

millwall is a decent side. better than most of the clubs our players are on.

redhat: you do know that angst means sad, and depressed, angry... right?

I'll bite. Your definition is also correct, but that's not what I meant. My definition (backed by "dictionary.com") is:

"a feeling of anxiety or apprehension..."

or "an acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety ..."

I don't think our lad is sad, depressed, or confused. I thought

he would be anxious, though. ;) Imagine a UK club like Millwall

interested in him. Better than Ganzsu or MVV Maastrict. :-)

Thanks for the tip.

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pffff...Dante Alighieri!!! actually has a winning team!

i am sorry, but no one in the toronto area who plays any sort of soccer and esp. at a serious level in their right mind considers high school soccer a stepping stone to a national team of any age group.

high school soccer was always meant for an off season kickabout for any regular player, aside from chasing north york cups and ontario cups t/o the summer/fall months. high school soccer was a nice way to have fun playing the sport and goofing around, it was never taken that serious and go figure, our high school would make it to the TDCAA semi's or finals most years. i think we joined the high school team because because we were either expected to by our idiot gym teacher and/or to check out the other chickas from other schools, ohhh the carefree fun times, where have they gone???:(

PS - has Nolberto made it to Peru's nat'l team yet[:P]

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I heard a 11 year old kid in Red Deer is a dominant player in the central Alberta area. When interviewed, he said he wanted to play for Canada's national team. Rumour has it Man U. and Real Madrid are interested in him.

I think we should bring him in for WCQ. If a 17 year old going to play for Millwall is good enough for WCQ, a younger kid going to a bigger club is even better. Let's fast track him. He can sit on the bench for the first couple games, followed by a few matches as a sub. By the end of the semi-final round he should be starting AND he'll be 12. I predict a golden boot trophy in the 2005 hex :)

Jason

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  • 4 weeks later...

2 EVRY1 who is saying that this kid isnt good, blieve me.... HE IS AMAZING!! i know this because i played against a few times and he is a dominant and i also played him in school soccer. BY THE WAY, to the person who said that high school soccer was a bit of a joke and just for fun, thats not the case at dante alegieri... they have an enriched soccer program which draws players from all over and i heard sumthing like playing for the soccer team gets you 1 full credit or sum stuff like that. Blieve me... Johnson is really good.

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quote:Originally posted by Argentina_111

2 EVRY1 who is saying that this kid isnt good, blieve me.... HE IS AMAZING!! i know this because i played against a few times and he is a dominant and i also played him in school soccer. BY THE WAY, to the person who said that high school soccer was a bit of a joke and just for fun, thats not the case at dante alegieri... they have an enriched soccer program which draws players from all over and i heard sumthing like playing for the soccer team gets you 1 full credit or sum stuff like that. Blieve me... Johnson is really good.

Johnson, get back to your homework... :D

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Give the kid credit he certainally must have some sort of skills even to be mentioned in the star. Opportuntiy exists when one has a dream to begin with, now if he can take it serious enough he can then focus on what he has to do to over come the many challenges ahead of him.

Take for example Julian Uccello he has had to bypass many obsticles in getting were he is today with Milan Juniores team in italy and he is only 17 of age he started with dream form when he was 7, check his record on the WSC site and see for ourself and ask why not him on the NTC. I think he could have been useful in many games they played as he is a scoring power with a killer touch and shot> that maybe Canada would have advanced in Vancouver if they had him surely he would have scored at least one goal they needed but was never asked. SO let this boy dream all he wants, nothing wrong let his feet do the talking not his mouth.

This is the site I pick on have a look

http://www.wscstrikers.com/Players/j_uccello.htm

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I can't help but recall a similar article here in Vancouver several years ago about a 14 yr old named Terry Dunfield.Not to say that Dunfield isn't going to make it to the CMNT one day but sometimes someone needs more than talent and hype.Dunfield has had injury problems and maybe has yet to latch on to a good English team that will give him the opportunity he needs.

I hope this kids makes it.I think we all feel the pain of the Owen Hargreaves scenario and are waiting for the next one to come along to make up for it.Luck will play a big part in that.

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quote:Originally posted by Vancouver Fan

I can't help but recall a similar article here in Vancouver several years ago about a 14 yr old named Terry Dunfield.Not to say that Dunfield isn't going to make it to the CMNT one day but sometimes someone needs more than talent and hype.Dunfield has had injury problems and maybe has yet to latch on to a good English team that will give him the opportunity he needs.

I hope this kids makes it.I think we all feel the pain of the Owen Hargreaves scenario and are waiting for the next one to come along to make up for it.Luck will play a big part in that.

Hey, to my mind we've already had our "next one to come along to make up for" the Whore. His name is DeGuzmannnn and he is all ours. If given the choice, I'd take DeGuzmannn over the Whore any day. I'd also take Iain Hume over the Whore. Hell, we don't need yet another defensive midfielder, even if he is as good as many claim the Whore is.

The player we should really worry about losing is DeGuzmann's little brother. He is the type of player, from all accounts, that would compliment his brother well and would add a great offensive spark to our squad. I would love to see the DeGuzmann's both play for our MNT very soon, maybe as early as 2006??

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Oh I see the "Whore" Like who is she "babe ruth" on sandlot. the "great bambino", "the sultan of swat" "The King of Crash" oh no! i am embarresed, So in this case the whore is Owen, ha ha he must have title then. like the great Bambino!

thanks for clear it up evryone you made my day.[:0][:I]

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