All,
We have now played Genoa suffering a 5-2 loss but great pasages of play and their coach was very impressed. Again, 3 players were impressive and were singled out. Ex italian champion goal scorer Tomas Suravi (look him up on the internet) was there watching as he was an ex Genoa Player.Then we played Juve at their Vonovo complex on the outskirts of Torino. We played them and a team that had 3 Italian U 17 reps and 4 Regional reps for the Piedmonte area.
A 5-0 loss belies how wrapped we were with the boys efforts
Then Juventus. Travelling to Linovo, the Juve training headquarters was surreal, but to then actually be permitted in and to use them was even more incredible. As we approached the gates, there were two entrances. Prima Squadra and Giovanille - first team and Youth. We obviously used the youth. The facilities were clinically clean and absolutely firat class and the guys were overawed as they got a small taste of the facilities put on for top players.
We played JUVE on their artificial pitch and half time was 1-0. As usual, a stupid defensive error was punished. A against the best italian youth, you DO NOT get away with errors. As the game wore on, their absolute superiority and talent started to tell, but again, the less experienced and young players in the squad did well and only copped 1 goal in the last 30 minutes.
Given the Juve squad had Italy's U/17 captain and 3 other internationals for Italy, we were very happy with the result. At the end, Juve were very kind to ask us back for future tour games and when they asked about our squad, the familiar incrdulity set in when told we'd been together only 4 months as a squad. They then asked us for a video of our training sessions to see if there was something they could learn. Incedible!! But the icing on the cake was photo's with Ciro Ferrara, italian championship record holder (8 - 2 with Napoli and 6 with Juve), head of Juve's youth system and right hand man to Liipi at the world cup. A great honour for the boys.
The next day, we went to a small ground at US Orbasano to play Torino. This was easily the teams best effort. They were a very strong and powerful team, perhaps a little more physical in game play than Juve but still very effective as evidenced by their second place to Juve on the ladder.
At half time the score was............1-0 to GISS. The boys executed the game plan and played with such commitment, you couldnt imagine how proud we felt. The final score was 4-1 to Torino, again two stupid mistakes in defnce and their superiority in tactics (having played together for 3 years) shone through but a proud day.
We the had 3 days off before travelling to Livorno to play Livorno's youth team. Livorno are in Serie A so thei was a game against Serie A youth as against lowly Serie B youth like at Juventus...........sense my sarcasm?
The 3 days off had obviously dented our sides memory and they were a shadow of the Juve and Torino sides. a 5-0 loss was not too bad given how badly we played but still, we'd set the bar high and let ourselves down.
One nights rest and we set off on a 4 hour bus ride to Rome to play CISCO Roma where one Paulo Di Canio is head of junior development. Two Serie D scouts, Kalac's agent, CISCO Roma and others were present to evaluate the guys. These guys really had something to prove. Whether they were plain hungry, or heard the rough tough Aussies were coming, either way they crunched and I mean crunched us hard. Given the area of the grounds location (artificial again as at Genoa and Juve - this IS THE FUTURE guys - lets get on the band wagon) it could be these were guys kicking and scratching there way to the top.
1-0 after 30 minutes, 2-0 after 60 and 5-0 after 90. Sounds and looks bad - yes it was. We were simply outgunned, outplayed and outmuscled. We ended up with 3 injuries, long term that means these 3 will not be able to play in the last game. We learned little except how much passion is required to fight your way to the top in Italian soccer. The evening was taken up by dinner and watching Italy play Scotland in a Eur0 2008 qualifier that they had to win and duly did so.
Finally a wrap up. Tomorrow we go to Trigoria, AS Roma's training facility for youth and Seniors. It will be very interesting to see how their facilities compare to Juve's. Their juniors are essentially the best in Southern Europe as compared to Juve's been the best in the north. (FACT - In the north, of the 5 national regionalage groups, Juve is 5th in one, 2nd in another and top of the three older age groups => Primavera, Beretti and Allevie Nazionale). We will also have the honour of watching the seniors train and hopefully meet some of the players for autographs and photos before playing the ir team at 3pm. Tonight we will be taking the boys on a tour of Rome and then the bulk go home tomorrow (Friday night your time).
Will try to write again depending on internet availability soon or I'll update on our return.
Ciao Ciao,
John and Sam
