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Miguel Almirón

Deuce

by Deuce
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Wilson

Wilson

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If that's to stop a counter, it'd be the standard 'cynical yellow', 'being clever', 'taking one for the team'.

 

Well not really, a cynical yellow would be clipping the blokes heels and tripping him :lol:

 

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HaydnNUFC

HaydnNUFC

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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/03/30/talent-allows-miguel-almiron-make-giant-leap-newcastle/

 

Talent allows Miguel Almiron to make giant leap with Newcastle

 

Miguel Almiron had a decision to make. After two years of being told he was too small to play football, too slight to compete against boys his own age, he thought about the job waiting for him collecting trolleys at the local supermarket.

 

It was tough. He was missing a lot of school, getting up at 5am every morning to make the three-hour round trip on a bus to training and back home again before attending classes in the afternoon. There would come a point where he had to earn his keep at his family home in Paraguay’s capital city Asuncion.

 

Almiron had talent, skill and technique. He was a clever footballer, but nobody was able to look beyond the slender, frail frame. For two years all he did was train and watch others play in matches. And there was a job for him, working with his mother, at the supermarket if he wanted it.

 

“When you are small, you have to play with your brain,” says Almiron through an interpreter in his first sit-down interview in England.

 

“I was always quick, I used my speed and my technique. I was never going to be as strong as some, it did not matter. I have always been slim, it is my natural build. My combination of speed and alertness, it helps me avoid heavy tackles. The physical side of the game, it never worried me.

 

“People used to tell me I was too small all the time in Paraguay. At my first club, Cerro Porteño, at the age of 15 they said I was too little to play, that I would never make it.

 

“It was the club I had supported my whole life and that hurt. It is very young to be told you will not make it. I spent a whole season out of the team. All I did was train.

 

“When I moved up to under-16, it was the same. I was a substitute a few times, but it was not much fun. Again, they said my size was the problem. I was worried that I would not make a career in football, it seemed an impossible dream. Even in the under-17s, there was a big doubt.

 

“I spoke to my dad and my mum worked in a supermarket. There was a job for me collecting the trolleys. She said I wasn’t a child any more and had to pay my way. I didn’t do it and they were always supportive.

 

“I wanted to pursue my dream for a little longer. The coach, Hernan Acuna, asked me why I had not been playing. He said he would give me five games to show what I could do. Thanks to God, those five games went really well. Within a few weeks, I had been called up to the national team for my age group. That was the turning point.”

 

It was the first of many pivotal moments which led Almiron to become Newcastle United’s record signing in January, when he moved from Atlanta United for £21 million, the most expensive MLS export.

 

Almiron spent two years with Atlanta, helping them win the MLS title last year after he had grabbed the attention of scouts in Argentina playing for Lanus.

 

At his first press conference in England, his size was raised again. How would he cope with the physical demands of the Premier League? Had Newcastle, and manager Rafa Benitez, made a mistake? Almiron’s performances have erased any doubts.

 

“When I came to England, everyone talked about the physical side of the game and maybe people thought I would struggle,” he admits.

 

“When I first broke into the first team at Cerro Porteno, people said all the same things. I just did my thing, I got on with proving people wrong. It was nothing new to have those questions at Newcastle.

 

“They have not seen the best of me, there is a lot more to come. Every game I’m learning from my mistakes, learning about the Premier League.

 

“The intensity of the English game, it is even higher than I thought. In every game, you don’t stop running, the pace does not stop, it is relentless, but I have enjoyed every minute.”

 

Almiron is not the first South American player to land on Tyneside, but the 25-year-old is already showing signs he could go on to be the best. His speed is electric, his energy unflagging and there is a steeliness that means he will not be bullied, as his red card playing for Paraguay against Mexico last Wednesday suggested. And then there is that little thing called love.

 

“In America, football is not one of the main sports, so at Atlanta I could live a normal life,” he explained. “In Newcastle, I am constantly recognised. My job is the same, but it is very different off the pitch. Everywhere I go people ask for photographs and autographs, it is not a problem.

 

“This is why I wanted to make this move, I wanted to play in a high-pressure environment. It has always been my dream to play in Europe and there was no hesitation when I found out Newcastle were interested.

 

“It’s fantastic to be at a club where you can feel the passion of the fans, as well as hear it. It confirmed everything I had been told about this club.

 

“The fans have shown amazing faith in me, and the team. Straight away they given me their love and I want to make them happy, make them proud.

 

“What would I say to that small boy in Paraguay? Thank you, for your patience and your perseverance, keep going, work hard. That was what my dad always told me.

 

“To come from Paraguay to a city I had not even heard of growing up and have people show me so much love, it is an incredible feeling. I’m very proud, it’s a special journey.

 

“When I saw the [Wor Miguel] banner in the stands for my first game, it was very emotional. It is incredible support and I will repay them, I will thank them with my performances, I will not let them down.”

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Cronky

Cronky

Posted
Posted

If that's to stop a counter, it'd be the standard 'cynical yellow', 'being clever', 'taking one for the team'.

 

Well not really, a cynical yellow would be clipping the blokes heels and tripping him :lol:

 

 

I think that's what he was trying to do, but he made a hash of it.

 

Loved the interview, by the way. It showed what makes the guy tick, and why his career has taken that curious path.

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Guest Howaythetoon

Guest Howaythetoon

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Nowhere near the same kind of player. He’s someone different to what we’ve had in the past as he’s creative on the ball. I don’t think where he plays and how he plays right now is his best position for us. He’s not a number 10, but I think he can play a more creative central role behind a striker/infront of the midfield or right up alongside a striker in support. Out wide even in a frontline attack I’m not convinced we’ll see him at his best fully. His pace, work-rate and running ability on and off the ball however, suits our tactics, style, system or whatever you want to call it. I wouldn’t mind seeing him up front in a 4-4-2 or floating around in front of the midfield kind of like how Eriksen sometimes plays for Spurs or Coutinho used to for Liverpool. Nice options to be able to even consider thinking about though, if only Rafa had more dynamic players of his quality...

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