Massive Attack Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 This article orginally ran in the Corriere Canadese on Wednesday in italian. That version is available here: http://www.corriere.com/viewstory.php?storyid=41809 A translated version appeared today in the copy of Tandem that was sent to my house (a weekly English language paper that targets the Italian-Canadian community). It's interesting to note that after initially being left off the U-20 final roster, Julian was invited back after an injury, but decided to decline the invitation. He then proceeds to take a few shots at the team. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Toronto teen on the attack in Italian soccer Local striker Julian Uccello signs for pro team in Serie C2 By Nicola Sparano An Italian-Canadian from Toronto has reached professional soccer. Julian Uccello, attacker, born in 1986, second-generation Canadian of Calabrese origin, has been hired by Sansovino, (Serie C2, Group . Uccello last year scored for Savona (Serie D) where he had been parked by Milan AC. The red-and-black club set him free at the end of this season and the Italian-Canadian bomber found a home at the first step of professional soccer, a springboard for greater opportunities. Tanned, very fit, mentally ready for the challenge, Justin Uccello is preparing to take the plunge. How did you reach Serie C2? "Milan AC let me free, so it did not cost a dime to Sansovino." What sort of a contract have you obtained? "Two years. My agent Sergio Gabrello signed it on my behalf." What about economic terms? "Standard fare for C2 professionals. There's also a bonus: the more I'll score, the more I'll get." How did you end up with Sansovino? "Lecco was also interested, but I followed my agent's advice; he spoke very highly of this Tuscan team." Do you know anyone in your new club; the president, the coach, any teammates? "I've been told that coach Nario Cardini came to see me play in Savona. He must have liked what he saw." Do you know the town, Monte San Savino? "I've never played there. Everybody kept telling me that Tuscany is beautiful and soccer fans are competent, demanding and passionate. I trust I'll have a good time and score many goals." Where will you live? "You won't believe this, but they are giving me a villa. That means I'll have to learn how to cook..." When does the retreat begin? "I'm leaving on Friday, I'll reach the headquarters for the assembly." Are you disappointed about being in Serie C2? Were you hoping for something higher? "I'm still young, but I'm a realist. To reach Serie A I have to accumulate experience and improve. With Sansovino I'll be able to do that on the field. I've been told I'll be a part of the initial lineup." Do you feel ready for professional soccer? "I feel ready for anything. My goal is reaching the upper series, A or B. I'll keep working more and more to get there. After all, I have Calabrese roots, and we are famously stubborn. When we get something into our mind..." What are you bringing to Tuscany? "My legs and my brains. This will be my third year in Italy. First with Milan's youth teams, last year in Savona, now in Tuscany." Were you to compare yourself to a Serie A attacker, who would that be? "The coach of Milan AC's youth teams, Mr. Colombo, used to tell me that I've got Adriano's physique, Vieri's left shot, Gilardino's goals, and that I resemble Albertini for running with my head up." Do you really feel like that, a sort of phenomenon? "My head hasn't swollen. Comparisons are good for morale, but right now I'm a hopeful young attacker who's going to discover joys and sorrows of playing as a pro." Where do you prefer to play? "Centre forward. I'm naturally left-handed, but my role is to break through defences. I have a short sprint (10-15 metres); a strong and precise shot, and a good goalframe awareness." What did you learn in your year with Savona? "I've learnt how to score against defenders who are serious in their job. I've improved a lot from the technical standpoint, despite playing in several different attacking roles. Moreover, I've learned to take punishment, because Serie D is no joke, nobody pulls any punches. That's part of the game, though. And I've learned, I never retract my leg." How many goals have you scored? "I've been Savona's lead scorer with 16 goals, fourth scorer in the whole championship, and best among my class of 1986." What was your best goal? "A 30-metre volley, that ended at the upper corner of the goalposts. People in Savona still talk about it. I scored that goal against Trino." You commuted between Savona's playout games and those of Canada's national Under 20 team in preparation for the Netherlands, where you didn't go after all... "Savona was to play two vital games precisely when Canada was training for the World Cup. I tried to satisfy both my club and the Canadian national team, so I jump on planes and went back and forth. Finally, I was told that the national team had no use for me." How did they explain that? "Well, I was told it was a matter of technical choices. However, I think that I was regarded as an outsider, even because I did my best during training sessions, tackling every ball. I was even scolded for that, they told me I had to stay calm. Right before the World Cup began they called me again: a spot had opened, due to an injury of someone else. I said no, thanks." Did you watch Canada's games on TV? "Yes, and it was a pain. Thank goodness I didn't go. This national team does not know what it means to play today, without barricades. For an attacker, this does not bode well. For confirmation, ask Andrea Lombardo." How fit will you be when you'll arrive in Monte San Savino? "Very fit. Ever since I arrived in Toronto, on June 9, I've been training every day with Dennis Lindsey, who also works with the Maple Leafs and the Raptors. Weights, run, endurance. Two sessions daily, two hours the first, one hour the other. My weight is excellent, 82 kg. And I've never felt better." Who do you wish to thank for this achievement? "My father Frank, who gave me a soccer ball when I was 4, and my mother Bartolina. As a soccer player, my first trainer was my father, then Joe Rando. In Italy I learned a lot from Milan AC's coach of youth teams, Mussico. In Savona, Panucci helped me greatly. Julian, when will we see yourself playing for a Serie A team? "In two years' time. You can bet on that." http://www.corrieretandem.com/printer.php?storyid=5409 Edit: Just wanted to add a portion that was only available in the print version. Julian Uccello: Player Profile</u> Born: Oct.30,1986 Off-season home:Richmond Hill, Ontario Moving next to: Monte San Savino, Italy Local Soccer squads:Played for soccer clubs in Richmond Hill, Thornhill and Woodbridge before heading overseas at 16 Big league teams:Signed by AC Milan in 2003 where he scored 5 goals in 250 minutes of action: on loan to Savona Calcio last season where he was able to score 16 times in 32 games played; recently signed a contract with Monte San Savino thorugh 2008 Achievements:Top goal scorer for the Ontario Youth Leauge from 1999 to 2001. Was also the two-time MVP at the O.Y.S.L.; Canadian National Team Under-20 player Strenghts:Posseses a strong powerful left foot for superb crosses, strikes and passes, making him a threat to score from anywhere inside the penalty area. Weaknesses:Must continue training to improve the strength in his right foot as well as his ability to sprint 30-feat across the pitch. Professional dream:To one day earn a starting spot on a Serie A team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Very nice from him to take a shot at his teammates and his former team.......When this team had success in January he was on the bench......when they were struggling he wasn't on the team.....so why can he take that kind of shot at these guys??? That's weird since he sounds like a smart guy when you read the rest of the interview. And giving Lombardo as an example of a guy who was a victim of this team doesn't help his credibility.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditty Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Something tells me that there may have been something lost in the translation. On the one hand, the guy seemed to take some risks to play for Canada and showed commitment. On the other hand, he comes across a bit whiny in the article. There were a few players on the U-20s playing at a higher level than him and for him to suggest that the tactics and style of play were beneath him sounds petty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loud Mouth Soup Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 /sorry, on an image kick tonight. //beer is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi44 Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Not everyone makes the team buddy. I wonder If he saw the game against Syria... lots of attacking there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Massive attack great article thanks I heard about as well. Let me try to explain the translation of the article as read in the Italian version to English and what I know of him and what he has told me of this interview. He tried to satisfy both the Savona club and the National team agenda flying back and forth and finally they had no use for him. This question was asked "You commuted between Savona's playout games and those of Canada's national Under 20 team in preparation for the Netherlands, where you didn't go after all...what did they say? "he was ask to fly from Italy to Canada to rest for 8 days and not to attend the Minnesota tour as he was one of the ones that would attend the France Camp automatically. He then flew back to Savona to play one game and left for France the very next day. Where after 4 days later they explained the reason was a matter technical issue of choice they did not select him, but he believes that Its was more that he was an outsider during this camp and prior times out as his role was always in the midfield position not striker which he had no difficulties with but did not understand why he was there nor explained. If they had a lone striker already. He did the best he could and even though he did he was scolded for working hard and that he was to aggressive on one on one and to take it easy in practices. He was released by the mister and departed from France Thursday to Savona that same hour to make the final game on Sunday, left Savona the next day after his game to Canada where he was called to fly him back to Holland as a defender had got hurt and they wanted him to go in place of this injury. He declined respectively and wished them the best of luck as he just got off the plane in Toronto. In 5 days he had travelled almost 10,000 miles they wanted him back for a defender injury, Call some else who is a defender No? I would think. Yes he did watch the games it hurt to watch it was a pain in the neck to see Canada play and him at home. But he was glad that he did not go as rest was more important now then playing at this point after a great season and travelling all this time. It was tough for a National team player to play under these circumstances without walls meaning (Midfielders) as a lone striker to play in this modern age of futbol just ask Lombardo he can tell you the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelownaguy Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Several of us posted it at the time the roster came out,, and still I can't believe this kid didn't make the roster,, were always bitching about how bad Canada's strikers are yet we have a guy who can fill the net in C2 and he doesn't fit our system ?? It's all hindsight now but Mitchell dropped the ball on that one.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjoni Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 quote:Originally posted by kelownaguy Several of us posted it at the time the roster came out,, and still I can't believe this kid didn't make the roster,, were always bitching about how bad Canada's strikers are yet we have a guy who can fill the net in C2 and he doesn't fit our system ?? It's all hindsight now but Mitchell dropped the ball on that one.. I have to agree on that one. And he doesn't sound whiny, he's telling his side of the story. Mitchell dropped the ball. Let's just hope Yallop doesn't do the same when this kid's playing Serie A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 He doesn't sound like a team player, maybe that's why he wasn't selected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 quote:Originally posted by loyola He doesn't sound like a team player, maybe that's why he wasn't selected. We have always had a bunch of suckholes playing for Canada. We could do with a few people with brains and balls for just once. What is this school marm moralism that seems to think that if someone complains or is not happy he is out? Canada meets North Korea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 I have no problems with him complaining for not making the team, I have a problem with him taking a shot at his teammates and coaches since he was a sub in qualifying.......What makes you believe he's that good, do you honestly believe that DM didn't select a goalscoring machine just for fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loud Mouth Soup Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 What makes Serie D so good that he should expect to walk in to the squad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANC2 Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Loud Mouth Soup What makes Serie D so good that he should expect to walk in to the squad? Exactly my thoughts!!! Prove Mitchell wrong! Answer the call and show Canada what you are made off. My question to most on this forum besides Alberto, have any of you seen this player play??? Remember Lalli was in the same League at one time. Grande also played in the same league. Now he is in C2 B and Milan have released him. I would think Milan would see his potential for Serie A and keep him out on loan. Being Italian myself I wish him well, but knowing Serie D & C its poor quality football believe me, mainly used to develop youth. I will wait until I see him in the "A" in two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timotas Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 quote:Originally posted by ANC2 Exactly my thoughts!!! Prove Mitchell wrong! Answer the call and show Canada what you are made off. My question to most on this forum besides Alberto, have any of you seen this player play??? Remember Lalli was in the same League at one time. Grande also played in the same league. Now he is in C2 B and Milan have released him. I would think Milan would see his potential for Serie A and keep him out on loan. Being Italian myself I wish him well, but knowing Serie D & C its poor quality football believe me, mainly used to develop youth. I will wait until I see him in the "A" in two years. I actually played against him for two years in the U15 and U16 seasons when he was in Canada and knew him quite well as a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 quote:Originally posted by ANC2 Exactly my thoughts!!! Prove Mitchell wrong! Answer the call and show Canada what you are made off. My question to most on this forum besides Alberto, have any of you seen this player play??? Remember Lalli was in the same League at one time. Grande also played in the same league. Now he is in C2 B and Milan have released him. I would think Milan would see his potential for Serie A and keep him out on loan. Being Italian myself I wish him well, but knowing Serie D & C its poor quality football believe me, mainly used to develop youth. I will wait until I see him in the "A" in two years. Exactly, no one has ever seen him play here (except for Alberto, who isn't very objective, and Timotas). Mitchell saw him in WCQ, in training, in friendlies but people here KNOWS that Michell made a mistake by cutting him because the guy is playing in Serie D......they don't know how the guy is fitting in the coach system, they don,t know how he reacts to coaching criticism, how he works with his teammates and stuff like that but people on this board knows that Coach Mitchell shouldn't have cut him from the team....... The only time we should be allowed to judge a player without seeing him play is when he's playing in top leagues in the best countries like Serie B or A in the first team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 quote:Originally posted by loyola I have no problems with him complaining for not making the team, I have a problem with him taking a shot at his teammates and coaches since he was a sub in qualifying.......What makes you believe he's that good, do you honestly believe that DM didn't select a goalscoring machine just for fun? The only time we should be allowed to judge a player without seeing him play is when he's playing in top leagues in the best countries like Serie B or A in the first team Obvisouly you haven't watch any C games or Coppa C, these are no whimps as you suggest the best games at times can be in C, remmember he also turned down a Seria B team just for a team that wanted him to show what he can do and his scoring touch thats why he selected Sansovino as a starting striker, rather then sitting on a bench of a team that has " B " written all over it and play 1 to 3 games he made the right choice play first and move up one step at a time to Serie A and he will be the first Canadian to play in Serie A you will see as he is the Youngest Canadian to make the C2 at the age of 18. as he will be the youngest player to play in B and finally the things some of you dredd is him playing in Serie A. WOW No he was not a scoring machine he already made his decsion with Johsnon he was hoping that he can convert Julian to a midfielder and score from there..in less then 6 weeks he was wrong! He did not take any shots at anyone nor was he complaining about not making the team. If you read into the article and his translation is quite clear. He did the best that he could in a midfield role for the national team and he was not good enough. Playing with one forward and not having the proper midfielders in place or Barricade as he mentioned he was a logical choice based on a technical issue as to why he was not chosen. However, if he was given a proper chance to play as a striker he could have and should made the team without question. But regardless as a lone striker in this modern game of futbol is a losing cause for any forward with his quality, just ask Lombardo? When you practice hard and your ask to take it easy and to slow down is not a sign of encouragement for any player who is trying to make a team and send some else home. He has no obligation to anyone on the team but himself in porper sequence make the team first then you become friends not before. Friends are your worst enemies before any tryout remember that. Finally you can not prove anything if you are not given the chance to show what he could have done in his natural role as the national team striker it was taken away because of his vision but to call him later and replace him for a defender is not right. He did the right thing not to go/////after travelling that many miles back and forth etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Of course he did the right thing.......instead of trying to prove the coach wrong(Mitchell gave him the chance to do so by calling him back) he now can sit and complain....yesss definately the right thing to do. You make it sounds like Italy and The Netherlands are very far from each other......it's not like the coach asked him to travel around the world for a month.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Geez. I don't know. That articule didn't read that bad to me to be honest. Certainly nothing there, given the translation difficulties, to want to go out and burn the lad at the stake or anything. Maybe he's got a bit more mouth than some would like but so what? Let him be who he is. Canada could use a voice or two out there on the field from what I've seen. At all levels. Hell, there are some parts I rather like. Admittedly you don't want to go and hurt anyone on the training grownds but damn, that's enthusiasm. Competative enthusiasm. How is that bad? And I don't think there are a lot of people out who wouldn't agree that Mitchell pretty much had everything set for Holland a long time ago. He'd pencilled in who was going to be playing with who under what system. That dosen't necessarily mean DM had the blinders on to the play of everyone else, it just means someone outside the program WOULD have to break into it. Cold, hard, fact. It's harder to displace someone from the program from the outside. You're not starting from square #1 if you're the fresh guy. Sounds pretty much what Uccello is saying and I totaly agree with the statement. Just stating the odvious. Not crying about it. Just calling the kettle black. That Mitchell called him in as injury cover to play WAY out of possition must say something. Either Mitchell saw talent, or Mitchell felt Julian deserved the opportunity for what ever other reason (competative enthusiasm?). Sounds like Uccello declined because he felt he was likely going to ride the pine. Fair enough. Lots of players would to. There are careers to build and that won't be helped by being away from your club and NOT playing. Glad to read he's stepping it up a notch. Hope there are more reports of his advancing career in the near future. Maybe his goal scoring prowess can help the senior side before too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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