It is still just over a month till the new Serie B season begins, but teams up and down the peninsula are hurriedly going about putting their squads together.
The likes of Cagliari and Cesena will be desperate to make an immediate return to Serie A. While the likes of Perugia, Avellino, Pescara and Spezia will be looking to push them all the way. Meanwhile towards the bottom newly promoted Como and Teramo will be doing everything in their power just to survive.
Fellow promoted clubs Novara and Salernitana should have enough to survive, but the situation is very different in Catania with the club looking like it has hit the self-destruct button. No matter the situation at the clubs however, another enthralling 42 game marathon season is just around the corner.
Away from the clubs and there predicaments it is also a massive year for a number of young talented Italians. How they perform this season may very well have a huge bearing on whether they will develop into the players they have the potential to be?
So without further ado let’s introduce the five facing into a career defining campaign.
- Alessio Cragno (Cagliari) Age 21
To include a 21 year goalkeeper in a list of players who need to produce a big season may not make a huge amount of sense, he is after all like I said still on 21 a baby in keeping terms.
You just have to look at the likes of Buffon still producing the goods late into his 30’s or what about the only recently retired Andrea Pirebon who was playing week in week out in Serie B at the age of 46 to see that keepers are like a fine wine and mature with age.
Cragno joined Cagliari at the start of last season from Brescia having made 30 appearances for the Biancoazzurri the season so before. Despite his tender years Cragno was given plenty of games to impress, playing 12 times in his debut Serie A campaign and impress he did earning if not rave reviews then certainly promising ones.
It comes at a surprise then, even given there relegation, that Cagliari have gone out and got veteran net minder Marco Storari this transfer window. The consequences of this mean that Cragno has now reverted back to being number two. A position that he surely cannot accept.
Cragno is after all an Italian under 21 international and the sight of him being a second choice keeper in the countries second tier is surely not good enough for him. Rumours have abound of a loan deal with Virtus Lanciano something I believe he should consider doing.
The talent is all there, but he can’t afford to waste it sitting on the bench in Sardinia 21 years old or not. Too many promising young Italian keepers have wasted away after settling for a back-up role early in their career, Gianluca Curci, Ivan Pelizzoli and Francesco Bardi to name just a few.
Age should not be an issue with Cragno first team football should. Progress is needed be that at Cagliari or elsewhere.
- Francesco Fedato (Livorno) Age 22
The oldest of the five to make the list, having been born in October 1992, Francesco Fedato is reaching the period in his career when it can go either one of two ways. Either up into Serie A and become a highly respected attacking talent or stay in Serie B before slowly disappearing off into obscurity.
Despite still only being 22 Fedato has already packed a lot into his burgeoning career since making his debut with Venezia back in 2011. Another who has represented the Azzurri at underage level Fedato is now onto the seventh club of his short career.
Having performed well in the lower leagues with Venezia and Lucchese the young winger, who can also play through the middle, earned a move to Bari in the summer of 2012. He proved to be a revelation in his first full campaign with the Galletti scoring six times in 26 appearances. His displays soon began to turn heads, but he remained at Bari for the start of the next season.
Again impressing Fedato earned himself a move to Serie A club Catania in the winter Mercato of 2014. He would go on to make nine appearances over the course of the rest of the season for the Elefanti.
In July 2014 he was on the move again this time to Sampdoria. However in the first part of the 2014/15 season he only made a solitary appearance. A loan move to Modena in January beckoned. Despite Modena having a nightmare campaign Fedato was one of the few to stand out on the occasions I had to watch them.
Blessed with plenty of pace Fedato was a constant menace to opposing defences. He was also far from lacking in confidence as his willingness to such from range showed. Also possessing a feisty character Fedato has moved on loan to Livorno this post season. Having already spoken of his desire to fire the Amaranto back into Serie A a big season beckons for the kid from Mirano.
- Roberto Insigne (Avellino) Age 21
It is a sad fact that Roberto Insigne will always be known as Lorenzo’s little brother, yet Roberto is a talented footballer in his own right who has plenty of potential to go a long way to go in the game.
In truth I was in two minds on whether to include Roberto in this list. It struck me as unfair to declare that this is a crucial season for the youngster considering he was only playing in Lega Pro last season.
However in a way this is a massive season for the Neapolitan because if he really wants to make it at the top of the Italian game another year of progression is required rather than a season of getting to learn the ropes of Serie B for the first time.
Naturally Roberto started his career with hometown club Napoli, he has even played twice in Serie A for the club. His first taste of real first team action though came in the 2013/14 season which he spent on loan at Lega Pro club at the time Perugia. Insigne managed to play only 13 times for the Grifone scoring once.
Like his brother Roberto is a diminutive attacking talent who has also played for Italy at underage level. After finishing his loan spell at Perugia Insigne returned to Napoli, but he was not there to stay. For the 2014/15 season he was loaned out to Calabrian outfit Reggina.
Although it would turn out to be a desperate season for Reggina, Roberto turned out to be one of the bright spots. In 30 games for the southern outfit he hit the net eight times this along with his all round play saw Insigne have a real breakthrough season.
For the coming season he has been farmed out again, this time though to promotion hopefuls Avellino. The Lupi will be hoping to build on a positive first season back in Serie B and the addition of Roberto is a key ingredient in that coming to fruition.
Another arrival at the club is veteran forward Francesco Tavano. A goal machine at this level, Tavano may turn out to be the perfect teacher for Insigne that is if he is willing to learn.
- Luca Garritano (Cesena) Age 21
At 21 years of age Luca Garritano still has time on his side to develop into a fine players, however if the Cosenza native can manage to speed up the process this season then the road ahead may prove very promising indeed.
Luca originally came through the Inter youth system and was part of the 2012 Primavera winning side that so much was expected of. Yet despite making three appearances in Serie A for the Nerazzurri he failed to make a full breakthrough and was subsequently sold to Cesena.
In his first season with the Cavallucci Marini he played 25 times scoring twice as he helped the club earn promotion to Serie A. He remained at the club at the start of last season making six appearances in the league before being sent to Modena on loan in January.
Over the course of the second part of the season he played 21 times for the Gialloblu finding the net three times. While three goals may seem a poor return for a forward you have to take into account that he was playing in a struggling side whilst also being played out wide rather than through the centre.
Back at Cesena for the current season Luca will be hoping to nail down a starting spot and hopefully guide Cesena to an immediate return to Serie A. If he can manage this feat bigger clubs than Cesena may begin to take note. If he flatters to deceive however a career in Serie B may beckon and for a player with his talent that would be a real shame.
- Stefano Beltrame (Pro Vercelli) Age 22
More than anyone on this list Stefano Beltrame needs a big season. Since being head-hunted by Juventus back in 2011 things have not really gone according to plan for the Biella born striker.
Amazingly for a man whose career relies on him finding the back on the net regularly, getting goals seems to be a real problem for young Stefano. One in 23 games on loan at Bari two seasons ago, none in 20 matches at Modena last year these are hardly the numbers of a talented player once tipped for big things.
Loaned out again this season to Pro Vercelli it is beginning to look like last chance saloon for Beltrame. With Vercelli though looking as if they will be battling against the drop again this season it is hardly the ideal situation for the forward to find himself in.
Yet the talent is there and if he can hit anywhere between eight and 12 goals for the Bianche Casacche this season hope will remain that he can come good as once expected.
A new season beckons crucial for all, but for some the stakes are reaching boiling point.
The post Serie B: Five young Italians in need of a big year appeared first on Italian Football Daily.
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