Chelsea Literally Thieve Reggina Phenom
By: chris | February 21st, 2008
I was planning on writing up a little bit on how Big Bad Chelsea came in a poached Reggina’s 15 yo youth phenom Vincenzo Camilleri by literally landing a helicopter in the middle of Reggina’s training field and whisking him away to London. A situation which has now turned into a full blown soap opera in the south of the boot (Italy? Soap opera? Never!). Then, right before I began, I found a nice little article about how his youth system teammates wrote him an open letter about their memories together and how much they miss him. This can’t be serious, can it? This has to be a movie script.
Reggina is understandably pissed because he was going to be signed to a professional contract when he turned 16 which is March 7th (soon, very soon).
First things first, the oh-so-sweet open letter:
“Dear Vincenzo, you left so suddenly that we didn’t even get to say goodbye,” it begins.“Over these last three years we have shared everything – the accommodation, the trips to school, the canteen, the joy of a victory and the anger at defeat, the training and the shouts of Coach Pierantonio Tortelli.
“Our friendship was born on the pitch and continued within the walls of the St Agata sports centre, which was our house.
“Do you remember when you got picked for the Coppa Italia game against Inter?
You were so happy and we felt the same for you.“On Sunday we won against Lecce. We spoke so many times about how we thought it would be difficult to beat the leaders, but we did it. We were so happy, but like everything else it would have been better with you there.”
Reggina prez Lilo Foti has been on the horn with Michel Platini, Champion to the Little Man, who agrees with Mr. Photographs on the subject of big clubs poaching youth phenoms. The situation has now become legal (In Italy? Never!) and Reggina is trying to prevent him from training with the Blues.
The Amaranto will get some sot of compensation, and the last time something this big happened, Chelsea had to pay £5m to Leeds for Tom Taiwo and Michael Woods. No clue what it will be for Reggina, but no matter what, it’ll probably be less than they could receive – considering the kid’s this ginormous a talent (Chelsea beat out ManYoo) – in a few years when he’s an elderly 18 or 19.
Bad for football and The Little Guy, but great fodder.
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Comments
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If Platini wants to make this a real issue, he needs to put his foot down in this case. Mid-size clubs aren’t going to invest in youth academies if they think their brightest stars (ie the reasons to have a youth academy) are going to be stolen without even a big payday. In Scotland, clubs outside of the Old Firm lose their young talent to the big clubs all the time, but they get paid, which is how player-mills like Hibernian and Kilmarnock have been able to stay afloat. Platini needs to either block this move or charge Chelsea somewhere in the region of 10m+ pounds to at least make it worth thinking twice.
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United States
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I read this earlier in the week, just had no time to post about it. Keep up the good work Roman!
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United States -
I can’t believe they actually plopped down their helicopter on the Reggina training ground. That is just so arrogant. I agree with Ian that Platini needs to make an example out of this one and impose a really heavy punishment.
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United States -
He’ll probaby never see the light of day in the Prem. anyway. Besides, Italians always end up back in Italians always end up back in Europe anyway.
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United States -
The gall of the rich! This disgust me. Platini, Sepp Fatter where are you? I smell a lawsuit!
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United States -
UEFA really needs to stop this problem, but it’s also a problem with the FIGC who refuse to put strict laws on Italian youth systems. So many Italian players have been poached by foreign clubs over the past few years. In fact on the Italian U-17 national team, there are 6 players from abroad. That’s a stat that until recently would never be believable.
This kid Cammilleri is promising though, he made his first team debut this season with Reggina in the Coppa Italia at the age of 15.
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United States -
Good god, that is disgustingly sweet.
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India -
If there isn’t a TV movie or telenovela made out of this story within 10 or 20 years, I will be sad.
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United States -
oh…roman up to his old tricks. i smell a john obi won mikel saga in the offing.
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Sweden -
PolandComments are closed
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