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Macheda highlights Serie A’s impatience with youth
Serie A clubs are understandably upset about English sides scooping up youngsters such as Federico Macheda from their academies.
Lazio President Claudio Lotito cried foul after the 17-year-old, a product of the Rome club’s youth system, scored a stunning winner for Manchester United against Aston Villa in his Premier League debut on Sunday.
He has a point. After doing the hard part of nurturing the players’ talents, wealthier foreign sides can step in and enjoy the benefits. It’s not the best way to encourage clubs to invest in their academies and FIFA and UEFA are looking at tightening the rules on the transfer of under-18s.
But Lotito’s annoyance is only justified to a certain degree as, if Macheda had stayed at Lazio, it seems unlikely that he would have got the chance United boss Alex Ferguson gave him to hit the headlines at such a tender age.
“I doubt an Italian team would have made the move Ferguson did,” respected Italian sports writer Italo Cucci told Rai television.
Indeed, while Serie A clubs are good at producing young players, they are frequently criticised in Italy for not giving them the chance to shine.
How did United’s Macheda get away, asks Italy
Most Manchester United fans had no idea who Federico Macheda was before the Italian netted a stunning stoppage-time winner against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The 17-year-old’s goal could ultimately be the one that sealed the Premier League title for United.
He has been scoring regularly for United’s youth and reserve teams since joining the club in September 2007 after developing through Lazio’s youth system. Born in Rome, he signed professional forms last August and is regarded as one of the most promising young prospects of Italian soccer.
what irks Italians is that he is plying his trade in England. AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has said it is a scandal that young Italian players can get hoovered up by big European clubs.
Remember Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi first appeared at United before finiding his way to Villarreal.
FIFA and UEFA want to do something to protect under-18 players and keep them at their local clubs. The trouble is that until they sign professional contracts, the ownership of young footballers is complicated.
Before everyone goes too crazy, the guy scored one goal. Yes it was a special one, but please one goal is not enough to create a law about the purchase of under-18 players, though I can see it happening as a knee-jerk reaction.
Whats Italy waiting for? Football in Europe is a multi cultural sport. Why blame united when Inter, Juve, AC or Roma could have signed him? To saytht English clubs will ‘snatch’ them up is rubbish. Isnt Balotelli from Inter 19 yrs old?
If you look closer at United they have so much youth on the side that comes from their academy. If you have talent in your academy and you dont do what sir alex did with Macheda (give him a chance), expect to lose him.
What then of all the rumors circulating that names like Johny Evans, Wellbeck, both da silvas and Frazier cambell are highly sought after? Inter is desperate to sign Evans, and Anderson…
Stop pointing the finger!