Matteo Kovacic

[Dinpomp]

they were proven prem players. prem players who were proven to be GOOD. in hindsight kovacic seems like a no brainer but at the time he was a very risky signing.

Sorry, but no. Maybe to some casual fans, but it shouldn't have been to scouts.

I posted in the first page of this thread (and other times) that he was basically "a sure thing." Barring injuries, he was going to become a top player.

He wasn't an unknown. He's been on the radar of the top clubs since he was 12/13 years old. And for anyone who has watched him closely over the last couple of seasons, it really did "seem like a no brainer." Not just now, but then as well.

 

[Dinpomp]

Nice article (long read, will only post a sample here):

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/intermilan/id/1204?cc=5901

Kovacic: The new heart of Internazionale

Posted by Mike Whittaker
Mateo Kovacic: Could he become one of the world's best?

Inter's new number 10 has already, in 12 appearances, received several standing ovations from the Inter faithful, for the incredible maturity, vision and composure he shows when on the pitch. Watching Kovacic play is a joy, with his sublime dribbling technique, his balance and ball control. The youngster emerges from challenges with the ball glued to his feet time after time, ready to continue a charge up field or to pick out one of his team-mates with his pinpoint passing.


*****

I don't expect fans of other clubs to get how good he was at Dinamo. It's almost impossible. But scouts should have known. When he was sold to Inter many were saying how it's a lot of money, especially for an 18-year-old. And it is, but at the same time Dinamo fans couldn't believe he went for so little.

In a lot of transfers for young players you pay a value for POTENTIAL. They might not currently be worth that much, but the belief is that they will eventually be. With Kovacic, he was already "worth" that amount.

This is what I posted after his transfer:

Well anyway, looks like Spurs did make an approach/bid. Just not enough. 15m euros might seem like a lot for an 18-year-old, but if he's not worth 20m+ within the next couple of seasons, I'll be very surprised. Time will tell.

He's already worth that.

 

[Dinpomp]

Sky – Offers coming in for Kovacic

He hasn’t been at Inter for six months and yet Mateo Kovacic has won every single person over. Not only the fans but also many directors of important clubs around the world. The Croatian is undoubtedly the only positive aspect that Inter fans can talk about especially for the second part of the season and as a result, many offers are coming in for the young starlet. However as explained by Matteo Barzaghi of Sky, Inter consider him unsellable and he is the only player that has this status of the entire team. Kovacic will remain a pivotal player that Inter will build around.

Source: Sky


*****

He was the second leading dribbler in Europe with 4.4 successful dribbles per game. Second only to Ribery (4.5).



*****

I won't keep harping on it, and sorry if it seems that way, but Otters, you couldn't have been more off with your "predictions." Joe Allen he is not.

 

[Dinpomp]

Zanetti: Excluding Ronaldo, who arrived here older anyway [21], Kovacic is the strongest [young] player I've ever seen [at Inter].

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Inter say he is untouchable, but they might stuggle if they can't improve on the 9th place they finished this season. They aren't a great club right now and I honestly think that £20m would see them part from Kovacic. He'd be well worth it too.

 

[THOWIG]

Has he mainly been playing behind the strikers?

 

[Dinpomp]

Has he mainly been playing behind the strikers?

No, very rarely (at Inter). He's been mainly played in the "Pirlo role." Inter mostly played a 4-1-2-1-2. More defensive-minded players occupied the two midfield spots ahead of him (Kuzmanovic, Cambiasso, Gargano, and sometimes Zanetti) With all their injuries it was a mess. Guarin was predominantly played behind the striker/s. Alvarez also spent some time there.

Kovacic was the last player back, in the lap of the defenders. Most touches, and the majority of the build-ups went through him, and the only times he got forward were after he went on some of his trademark slalom runs.

At Tottenham he played there (behind the striker) first half, but he rarely got the ball. That's the main reason they played him so deep, to ensure he was a focal point of the build-up. Stramaccioni (before he got fired) said he planned on playing Kovacic "20m up the pitch" in the upcoming season. We'll see where Mazzarri plans to use him in his 3-5-2.

 

[THOWIG]

Ah interesting. Is there where you see him playing in the future?

 

[Dinpomp]

Ah interesting. Is there where you see him playing in the future?

It really depends on how football goes/changes. Formations will change, with different managers and ever-evolving formations. The main thing about Kovacic, like it is/was with Modric, is that he needs to have the ball as much as possible. You want the play to go through him or you won't take full advantage of his attributes. He's good at keeping the ball ticking, has a very high pass completion %, and has the ability to pick out a pass. But it's his ability to glide past 2/3 defenders within a couple of paces (due to his very good close control) that really sets him apart.

I can see him playing there in the future and it's where I expected him to be. But in order to do that he needs to be surrounded by better players, at least ones that will be able to get him on the ball. Inter's made a couple of nice signings already and they're rumoured with a number more. We'll see how it all plays out. But I do like how he looked in that deep-lying role and it would be interesting to see how he'd do there with a better supporting cast.

 

[THOWIG]

It really depends on how football goes/changes. Formations will change, with different managers and ever-evolving formations. The main thing about Kovacic, like it is/was with Modric, is that he needs to have the ball as much as possible. You want the play to go through him or you won't take full advantage of his attributes. He's good at keeping the ball ticking, has a very high pass completion %, and has the ability to pick out a pass. But it's his ability to glide past 2/3 defenders within a couple of paces (due to his very good close control) that really sets him apart.

I can see him playing there in the future and it's where I expected him to be. But in order to do that he needs to be surrounded by better players, at least ones that will be able to get him on the ball. Inter's made a couple of nice signings already and they're rumoured with a number more. We'll see how it all plays out. But I do like how he looked in that deep-lying role and it would be interesting to see how he'd do there with a better supporting cast.

Managed to watch a few Inter games from February onwards on DVD. Does look excellent. Dare I say similar to Dembele but with an end product.

 

[Dinpomp]

Ah interesting. Is there where you see him playing in the future?

This explains where he'll play this season:

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2013/07/15/4118392/kovacic-mazzarri-is-a-hammer

Kovacic: Mazzarri is a hammer

By Mark Doyle

Jul 15, 2013 10:07:00 AM

The teenage midfielder, who is relishing his more advanced role, has revealed that the Nerazzurri's new boss is an even more impressive trainer than he had imagined.

Inter starlet Mateo Kovacic has described the club's new coach, Walter Mazzarri, as "a hammer", explaining that he has already begun the process of toughening up the Nerazzurri's soft centre.

The San Siro outfit made a stirring start to last season and looked like genuine Scudetto contenders in October before suffering a dramatic collapse that ultimately cost Andrea Stramaccioni his job.

Mazzarri has been brought in as his replacement and Kovacic has revealed that the former Napoli boss has wasted little time in imposing his ideas and rigorous training programme upon his new players.

"He is a hammer," the Croatia international told Tuttosport. "I said before he arrived that he was a great coach. Well, I was not wrong!"

Kovacic has also been enthused by Mazzarri's decision to employ him in a more advanced position, similar to that undertaken by Napoli's Marek Hamsik.

"I'm ready to put into practice everything that my coach wants to teach me," the 19-year-old midfielder told Tuttosport. "I will do my best to make the most of that position in the field.

"In that position I can give my best; I like it. Hamsik is a great player, but I do not want to be him.

"I want to be myself, for the good of Inter, and to give my maximum on the pitch."

However, despite his renewed enthusiasm for the new campaign, Kovacic freely admits that Inter can ill afford to get ahead of themselves, given Juventus look well placed to win a third consecutive Serie A title.

"They are a great team that gets better every year," the former Dinamo Zagreb playmaker acknowledged.

"We, instead, are a squad that must just think about playing better and not making any claims about the possibility of winning the Scudetto.

"We must not put pressure on ourselves, but work calmly and think only of improving in respect to last year."

Kovacic only arrived at Appiano Gentile during the January transfer window but has already established himself as one of the most exciting young players in Italian football.