Rapid jewel Yusuf Demir enchants fans and experts with his technique and his understanding of the game and is coveted by scouts all over Europe. Only his own coach seems only moderately impressed by the qualities of the 17-year-old offensive talent.
Dealing with talent is a science in itself in football. First you have to be recognized, then built up and promoted and of course also protected a bit from the snake pit of professional business. Unprepared, potential stars of tomorrow as teenagers can be blinded by the glaring spotlight of attention and led away from their predetermined path to the top. Talent management in the big football world has long been just as professionalized as many other areas. Top international clubs present their best young players with detailed career plans – on the one hand to avoid losing them to a poaching club and on the other hand to get the most out of its hottest stocks for the club.
Rapid is undoubtedly trying to do the same with Yusuf Demir. The 17-year-old attacking player is considered to be one of the greatest talents that Austrian football has ever produced. The Viennese Scouts has been a household name from all over Europe for years and is now being seriously courted by major clubs from abroad. In spring 2019 he decided to sign his first professional contract with Rapid and to stay with the Hütteldorfer in the following transfer periods.
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In order to convince him of this, of course, good arguments were necessary. Rapid had to convincingly convey to Demir that it would be best for his development to postpone the big step. The prospect of regular deployment times is the norm in such negotiations. Nevertheless, the young left-footer was only in the starting line-up in five of 27 possible competitive games, the five games he missed due to a corona infection have already been factored out.
People are loud in Demir’s environment world football-Information on whether the manageable operating times are increasingly dissatisfied. When asked, Rapids sporting director Zoran Barišić replied: “We presented Yusi with a clear career plan at the time and we are right on target.”
Yusuf Demir at Rapid at a crossroads
And yet one gets the impression that Demir is judged more severely than others by trainer Dietmar Kühbauer, but also by some TV experts. “Yusi played a good game, that he can do even more is very clear, but I think it was okay,” said Kühbauer after the 0-0 derby against Austria. A week later, the exceptional talent in the home game against Hartberg (4-0) still only had one place on the bench. If Demir doesn’t play particularly conspicuously, it seems that he doesn’t deserve a place in the starting XI. Kühbauer argues this with weaknesses in defensive behavior and is right when he says that the youngster still has to improve in the game against the ball. But on the offensive, Demir already makes the difference in many actions.
Of course, great expectations and the comparisons that have arisen with Lionel Messi weigh heavily on Demir’s shoulders. Unfortunately, these are all too often only superficially dismissed as out of place. Nobody compares 17-year-old Demir to today’s Messi. But anyone who saw the Barcelona star play in his early days as a teenager and observes Demir today cannot avoid seeing parallels in the systems. Physically the small body size, the low center of gravity, the strong left foot and the quick changes of direction and pace. Technically, the tight dribbling, the feel for the ball and the high level of understanding of the game to create dangerous situations out of nowhere.
In a few months, Demir will be at a crossroads. Anything but saying goodbye to Hütteldorf would be surprising. And in view of the previous working times he has received from Rapid, this is probably also conducive to his further development. At major international clubs – as Red Bull Salzburg also understands it excellently in Austria – youngsters of his caliber are continuously promoted, be it already in their own club or through clever loans to clubs whose playing structure matches the strengths of the talent. More sustainable than Rapid seems to be. In any case, the Hütteldorfer would do well in the coming weeks and months to put their sparkling jewel on display during the rest of the season. Because a falling market value due to moderate operating times would do the green and white club cash anything but good.
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