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Calcio Debate Flashback: Javier Pastore – The New Young Phenomenon Of Serie A To Replace Kaka & Ibrahimovic?
All the talk in Serie A at the moment is about the young Argentine genius, with a probable summer move to either Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan or Inter on the cards. Goal.com reprints an old Calcio Debate from July 2009 when Carlo Garganese first championed a then relatively unknown Pastore.
| Bet: | Returns: | Cagliari £21.00 | Draw £32.00 | Palermo £35.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Cagliari £21.50 | Draw £32.50 | Palermo £35.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Cagliari £21.00 | Draw £32.00 | Palermo £36.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Cagliari £21.10 | Draw £31.00 | Palermo £32.50 |
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Oct 16, 2010 10:30:00 AM
July 2009
Serie A has lost its two biggest names this summer in Kaka and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and some people believe the league is in crisis as all the world superstars flock to Spain.
However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Italian peninsula. Earlier this month Palermo signed 20-year-old Argentine Javier Pastore from Huracan, and the early signs are that the Sicilians certainly have their hands on a true wonderkid, a midfielder who could soon make us forget all about Kaka and Ibra.
At the beginning of this year, Pastore was a complete unknown after he was loaned to Huracan from Talleres in a complicated deal involving a third party investment group. By the end of the 2009 Argentine Clausura, Pastore was the most sought-after player in the whole of South America after a stunning campaign where Huracan agonizingly missed out on the title after a controversial last-day defeat to champions Velez Sarsfield.
Pastore was the undoubted Player of the Season, as he dominated and lit up the midfield with his tricks, flicks, playmaking and outstanding goals. The Cordoba-native forged an unstoppable partnership with fellow wunderkind Matias De Federico, tearing through defences in devastating fashion.
While De Federico has been labelled as the ‘New Lionel Messi’, Pastore has earned the tag of the ‘Argentine Kaka’, although in truth his style of play has an uncanny similarity to compatriot Juan Roman Riquelme. Like the Boca Juniors leader, the entire play goes through Pastore, he demands possession at every opportunity, and when he receives the ball the opposition know it could be a while before they see it again.
Pastore - 'The Nutmeg King'
New Palermo coach Walter Zenga has ambitiously claimed that his side can fight for the Scudetto this season, and while this may seem like a long-shot, if Pastore can find his feet early-on (and his pre-season form so far suggests he will) then a Top 4 spot at least is not impossible, especially when we consider the miserable summers that Milan, Roma and Fiorentina are having so far.
Volcanic Rosanero president Maurizio Zamparini has described Pastore as “world class”, while ex-Italy and Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi believes the starlet will be the “revelation of 2009-10”.
Goal.com International’s South American expert Greg Sica has no doubts that Pastore is destined for great things, and has even gone so far as to say that he could have the same impact on Palermo as a certain Diego Maradona did on Napoli in 1984.
“Javier Pastore is definitely a class act and he has the potential to take Serie A by storm,” Sica stresses.
“He is both classy and intelligent and even if he is still very young he has sufficient quality to succeed in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Like Maradona did with Napoli, Pastore took command of an 'average' side and transformed them into a serious championship contender. He will be hoping to achieve similar success with Palermo.
“For this to happen, however, quick adaptation to the team and the league will be important. From what has been seen of the player so far, he has demonstrated enough quality to be a key player of the Argentine national team in the future. If he manages to find his Huracan form with Palermo next season he will have an outside chance of making the Argentina squad for the 2010 World Cup, after all he is highly rated by Diego.”
Goal.com Italia editor Sergio Stanco reveals that there is great excitement in Italy about the prospect of Pastore next season, particularly in the pink half of Sicily.
“Palermo fans and staff are speaking about him in a glowing way, and Zenga and Zamparini believe he will be the surprise of this championship," says Stanco.
“Italy have great expectations of him and we really hope he can be our crack, everybody knows how much we need one in Italy this year.”
However Pastore fares this season, and one must remember he is still only 20 and tremendously inexperienced, he will be pure eye-candy for all supporters. If there is a player anywhere in the world who regularly executes more nutmegs and backheels, then I have not seen him.
Serie A has lost its two biggest names this summer in Kaka and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and some people believe the league is in crisis as all the world superstars flock to Spain.
However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Italian peninsula. Earlier this month Palermo signed 20-year-old Argentine Javier Pastore from Huracan, and the early signs are that the Sicilians certainly have their hands on a true wonderkid, a midfielder who could soon make us forget all about Kaka and Ibra.
At the beginning of this year, Pastore was a complete unknown after he was loaned to Huracan from Talleres in a complicated deal involving a third party investment group. By the end of the 2009 Argentine Clausura, Pastore was the most sought-after player in the whole of South America after a stunning campaign where Huracan agonizingly missed out on the title after a controversial last-day defeat to champions Velez Sarsfield.
Pastore was the undoubted Player of the Season, as he dominated and lit up the midfield with his tricks, flicks, playmaking and outstanding goals. The Cordoba-native forged an unstoppable partnership with fellow wunderkind Matias De Federico, tearing through defences in devastating fashion.
While De Federico has been labelled as the ‘New Lionel Messi’, Pastore has earned the tag of the ‘Argentine Kaka’, although in truth his style of play has an uncanny similarity to compatriot Juan Roman Riquelme. Like the Boca Juniors leader, the entire play goes through Pastore, he demands possession at every opportunity, and when he receives the ball the opposition know it could be a while before they see it again.
Pastore - 'The Nutmeg King'
New Palermo coach Walter Zenga has ambitiously claimed that his side can fight for the Scudetto this season, and while this may seem like a long-shot, if Pastore can find his feet early-on (and his pre-season form so far suggests he will) then a Top 4 spot at least is not impossible, especially when we consider the miserable summers that Milan, Roma and Fiorentina are having so far.
Volcanic Rosanero president Maurizio Zamparini has described Pastore as “world class”, while ex-Italy and Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi believes the starlet will be the “revelation of 2009-10”.
Goal.com International’s South American expert Greg Sica has no doubts that Pastore is destined for great things, and has even gone so far as to say that he could have the same impact on Palermo as a certain Diego Maradona did on Napoli in 1984.
“Javier Pastore is definitely a class act and he has the potential to take Serie A by storm,” Sica stresses.
“He is both classy and intelligent and even if he is still very young he has sufficient quality to succeed in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Like Maradona did with Napoli, Pastore took command of an 'average' side and transformed them into a serious championship contender. He will be hoping to achieve similar success with Palermo.
“For this to happen, however, quick adaptation to the team and the league will be important. From what has been seen of the player so far, he has demonstrated enough quality to be a key player of the Argentine national team in the future. If he manages to find his Huracan form with Palermo next season he will have an outside chance of making the Argentina squad for the 2010 World Cup, after all he is highly rated by Diego.”
Goal.com Italia editor Sergio Stanco reveals that there is great excitement in Italy about the prospect of Pastore next season, particularly in the pink half of Sicily.
“Palermo fans and staff are speaking about him in a glowing way, and Zenga and Zamparini believe he will be the surprise of this championship," says Stanco.
“Italy have great expectations of him and we really hope he can be our crack, everybody knows how much we need one in Italy this year.”
However Pastore fares this season, and one must remember he is still only 20 and tremendously inexperienced, he will be pure eye-candy for all supporters. If there is a player anywhere in the world who regularly executes more nutmegs and backheels, then I have not seen him.
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