Yoann Gourcuff - Players to star in 2010

Written by Dave Allan Sunday, 06 June 2010 18:42

England World Cup Blog

Yoann Gourcuff was born in Ploemeur, France on the 11th July, 1986, and stands at the crossroads of his career in football having underachieved so far.

Gourcuff was a talented tennis player as a youth and is one of those who could have opted to do many different things rather than play football. However that choice being made perhaps an early decision to make a move to join AC Milan backfired. Initially there was interest from Ajax, Valencia and Arsenal and perhaps a club that would have given more game time and indeed emotional support to the player more would have been a better choice.

Gourcuff only made 36 appearances for Milan and found the place to the first team blocked by Kaka. It would be fair to say that the youngster who had won caps at all levels for France then began to struggle. His manager at the time Carlo Ancelotti has actually been quoted as saying “he lost himself.”

The midfielder was eventually loaned out to Bordeuax where he has now been signed on a permanent basis and is now beginning to emerge as the player who had attracted such early interest.

Laurent Blanc former defender with Les Bleus has said that the player may have a confidence problem. Continuing comparisons to Zinedine Zidane in France have probably not helped either. The player then at just 23 years of age is at a crossroads of sorts. Gourcuff needs to step up to the plate in a relatively poor France side and make his own mark alongside the likes of Michel Platini and Zidane. He has the talent.
 

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