Vuckic

[Guest MrSundlofer]

A fit Haris Vučkić and a pre-season under his belt, and a 4-2-3-1 formation to fill the "central attacking midfielder"-role is just what he needs for next season. I don't think he will develop as much if we keep playing him in a 4-4-2.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

A fit Haris Vučkić and a pre-season under his belt, and a 4-2-3-1 formation to fill the "central attacking midfielder"-role is just what he needs for next season. I don't think he will develop as much if we keep playing him in a 4-4-2.

 

 

U18s and Reserves used him as the AM and he was fantastic (as much as you can be at U18 when you physically dominate anyway).

[Guest je85]

Do the youth/reserve sides predominantly play any particular formations?

[Mick]

Vuckic being injured so much during the past 2 season has been a massive dissapointment because I think he would have made the first team if he'd been able to play.

[madras]

Vuckic being injured so much during the past 2 season has been a massive dissapointment because I think he would have made the first team if he'd been able to play.

only if he progressed in the way we thought paul brayson,lee makel and chopra have ?

[Mick]

only if he progressed in the way we thought paul brayson,lee makel and chopra have ?

 

He looks like he could become a good player, not that it always works out that way.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Do the youth/reserve sides predominantly play any particular formations?

 

Until recently the U18s played a 451/433, they switched to 442 this season.

[cp40]

HB

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2011/05/08/haris-vuckic-planning-for-the-future-after-injury-nightmare-79310-28652321/

 

Haris Vuckic planning for the future after injury nightmare

 

May 8 2011 by Mark Douglas, Sunday Sun

 

THE year is 2009. A 16-year-old Haris Vuckic is hundreds of miles from home and struggling to settle at St James’ Park when he is introduced to Newcastle United’s newly-appointed striker coach.

 

There is a brief handshake, a few courteous words and then the man walks off.

 

Vuckic, the child of Bosnian parents who left their homeland before the bloody Balkan Civil War, has no idea who he has just met.

 

His Academy classmates look on in disbelief before popping open a laptop to show him the salad days of one of the greatest forwards ever to don a black-and-white shirt.

 

“It is true. When I first met Peter Beardsley I didn’t know who he was. He seemed nice, but I had no idea – I said to one of my team-mates ‘Who is that?’” he recalls.

 

“So they showed me some clips of him on YouTube and I thought ‘Wow, he was the Messi of his day’! I just thought ‘Respect’. You have to be impressed by him and how he played.

 

“I have to confess I didn’t know much about Newcastle United back then, though I knew they had been in the Champions League and had been up high in the league.

 

“But then you realise the history of the club, the great players. Now he is my reserve-team manager here, which is fantastic.

 

“Back then at the start it was very hard. I was very young, I didn’t know the language at all.

 

“My father came over with me which was a big support – they still are and I’m always on Skype with them – but he couldn’t stay forever and I was on my own after that.”

 

To anyone meeting this impressive young man, it would be no surprise that Vuckic turned it around.

 

Now 18 but with a frame and outlook that belies his years, he speaks eloquently and in fluent English about his ambitions for the future.

 

Currently completing the final weeks of an elongated four-month recovery from knee surgery, there is not a hint of arrogance or conceit about him, despite being burdened with that troublesome “wonderkid” tag ever since he was spotted by AC Milan as a 14-year-old.

 

He turned down that approach to continue his schooling in Slovenia, but when United came knocking two years later he felt ready to take the plunge and leave the small city of Domzale to further his footballing education.

 

Given the rapid progress in the interim – a national team call-up, a senior debut and links with Chelsea, Manchester United et al – it is a move that he hasn’t had cause to regret.

 

“It is a fantastic club and I feel at home. I have even picked up the Geordie accent – ‘Why aye pet’,” he says.

 

“Everyone made me feel so welcome. They made me feel at home. The Academy school was important, I still help out there when I can.

 

“I spent a few years there to learn the language and to do some courses too.

 

“You never know whether you’re going to get a bad injury – you never know when you’re going to need your education, so that was important to me.

 

“For me it is always a good idea to have something other than football.”

 

That is a point that has been hammered home during a frustrating 2011.

 

Having bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on Slovenia’s World Cup squad, Vuckic made a flying start to the campaign.

 

A bright performance at Stamford Bridge gave notice of the talent that persuaded Newcastle to shell out a six-figure fee for him and he was being primed for more under Chris Hughton.

 

Then came a change of regime and the knee injury that has robbed him of a chance to battle for a place under Alan Pardew. The toughest break of his fledgling career, Vuckic admits.

 

“It has been frustrating,” he says, rolling his eyes.

 

“I had a small operation on my knee. They took a piece of meniscus out – it was routine surgery but there have been setbacks. My knee swelled up and I couldn’t train – it was so frustrating.

 

“I have been out for four months now. I went back to Slovenia for part of that, I wanted to be around my family and to have the support of my family.

 

“If they told me when I went in for surgery that it was going to be four months then fine, I can cope with that. You think ahead ‘Four months – I will be back after that’.

 

“But my injury was only small and I thought I would be back soon. But instead every week I’m being told ‘Next month’ – that is very frustrating for a young player. You want to train, you want to play when you are young. You need to be strong in the head when you have an injury like this.

 

“It is very frustrating because I started this season well, I think. I started the game at Chelsea, which was very good experience for me. I played against Arsenal as well, I got a call-up for the national team and everything was going well.

 

“Since then it has been injury upon injury.”

 

At least he has time firmly on his side.

 

He will only just have turned 19 by the time next season starts and, under a manager not afraid to push promising talent, there should be an opportunity over pre-season.

 

With a preferred position tucked in behind a striker in an advanced central midfield role, perhaps he could even be Hatem Ben Arfa’s understudy? One step at a time, he counters.

 

“Next season is a big season. I will relax during the summer but this is very big for me, I need to train hard, work hard and make the most of every friendly game.

 

“If the manager gives me an opportunity to play I will do my best.

 

“The manager has said he likes to give young players opportunities. It’s very good for us as young players – we know that if we play well, show our maximum and do well this manager will give us a chance.”

 

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2011/05/08/alan-pardew-hints-haris-vuckic-has-big-future-at-nufc-79310-28652322/

 

Alan Pardew hints Haris Vuckic has big future at NUFC

 

May 8 2011 by Mark Douglas, Sunday Sun

 

TOON wonderkid Haris Vuckic would have no problem with heading out on loan next season – but boss Alan Pardew might have other ideas.

 

Vuckic was utilised during Newcastle’s Carling Cup run earlier in the season but a knee injury has halted his progress since the turn of the year.

 

Desperate for more first-team action now that he is back, the Slovenia midfielder recognises that dropping into the Championship might not be a bad idea if United give it the green light.

 

Put the idea to Pardew, however, and he drops broad hints that the player has a big future at St James’ Park.

 

“I have only seen Haris once, in the Chelsea game in the Carling Cup,” the Newcastle boss said.

 

“I was there as a professional at the game and I was impressed with him. I made a note of him because I had never heard his name before.

 

“He stood out to that night, but unfortunately since I’ve been here he hasn’t kicked a ball because of his injury. He’s highly regarded here, particularly in the development squad by Peter Beardsley and Willie Donachie.

 

“He’s somebody I’m looking forward to working with.”

 

No doubt that will be music to Vuckic’s ears. But if the chance doesn’t drop he admits a loan move would be an “opportunity” to progress.

 

He said: “The Premier League is a big jump for anyone my age. I have progressed from Academy to reserves and I want to go higher, but maybe it is better to take another smaller step. I don’t know.

 

“I will talk with the manager and it will be up to him to decide what we do.”

 

Already a full international, Vuckic is also determined to make an impact in the Slovenia squad – despite overtures from the Bosnian FA.

 

“My family went from Bosnia to Slovenia during the war period,” he recalls.

 

“They went to Slovenia before the war started – Bosnia was quite poor, things were not great there so they wanted a better life and went to Slovenia. Me and my brother were both born there.

 

“I was born in Slovenia, grew up in Slovenia and was educated in Slovenia. Slovenia gave me everything.

 

“I remembered this. The Bosnian FA called me to try and persuade me to play for them, but it is disrespectful to chose to play for them over Slovenia.

 

“The country has given me everything in the world, so I have to pick them.”

[Cajun]

The anti-Ranger, just a shame he seems to get a lot of injuries.

 

To be honest I have put Kadar and Vuckic out of my mind for 'future' players so if either of them do end up being first team mainstays it will be a massive bonus.

[Tooj]

It will be ideal for him if we're looking to line-up with Ben Arfa playing just off the striker.

 

As he can learn quite a lot from Ben Arfa, plus we can bring him into games playing in that position, as we have the option of moving Ben Arfa anywhere across the midfield.