Adelaide’s plan to ensure Mohamed Toure is no flash in the pan

Adelaide United have vowed to forensically manage the future of teenage talent Mohamed Toure, after the striker became the third youngest debutant In A-League history.

Mohammed TOure

Source: Getty Images

The kid with the Liberian lineage showed glimpses of his potential in a stirring 10-minute cameo off the bench in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Brisbane Roar, aged just 15 years and 320 days.

But Reds football director, former Socceroos forward Bruce Djite, insisted headlines and hyperbole won’t be allowed to dictate the trajectory of a rookie whose brother and Reds teammate Al Hassan, 19, has already made a deep impression on both the domestic and international fronts this season.

Djite warned of the potential pitfalls that lie ahead, pointing out that the youngest and second youngest to have played in the competition “came and went in a flash”.

Alusine Fofanah, now 22, made his debut for Western Sydney Wanderers at just 15 years and 189 days but failed to build on that capital and is now playing in the South Australian NPL competition.

And former Reds rookie, Teeboy Kamara, who made his bow at 15 years and 212 days, suffered a similar fate, never featuring again for the first team.

Now 23, he’s playing his football for Victorian NPL outfit Green Gully.

“We’re going to manage Mohamed’s future very carefully, that’s for sure,” said Djite.

“He’s the third youngest A-League debutant but I said to Mohamed myself, ‘do a quick Google and see where the youngest and second youngest are today’.

“Neither one of them are in the A-League and they came and went on a flash.

“It’s good exposure and experience for him but in the context of things it doesn’t mean much because making your debut so young, history has shown, is not a precursor to success.

“He has to keep his head down and feet on the ground - of course he’s talented that’s why he’s in our youth team.”

While keen to keep a lid on unrealistic expectations, Djite acknowledged the promise of the powerful youngster - who made his debut six months to the day after older brother Al Hassan.

Light on his feet, deft of touch but with a presence and physicality which saw him out-muscle opponents - even drawing a yellow card from an infuriated Jack Hingert - he oozed impudence and impetuosity.

The trick is to provide the environment for that innate ability to flourish, rather than prematurely wither.
“He looked really good - again it’s that benefit you get from youngsters,” added Djite.

“They can go out and not worry about anything and just have fun, and keep doing what they’ve done to get themselves to this point.

“There’s no responsibility because nobody expects anything of you. You can go out and enjoy it it - and he did that.

“What where you at doing at 15? It’s a fantastic story and while he’s got a lot to improve on, he’s been training for a while with the first team and he obviously feels comfortable enough in that environment.

“To make your debut at 15 is pretty special but to have the impact on the game that he did is what’s got everybody talking.

“Under our coach Gertjan Verbeek it’s a real meritocracy .. he doesn’t think about your age. It doesn’t matter if you’re 12 years old, so long as you’re good enough.

“We had a bushfires charity match during the week and Mohamed scored twice against an NPL All Star team.

“He deserved his chance but he won’t start on Friday against Central Coast and with other players coming back may not even make the bench. 

“But he’s a big talent and we have to make sure we nurture him correctly.”

A product of South Australia’s NTC youth development program, Toure was nurtured by legendary Reds striker Carl Veart, with Djite adding: “We’ve only had Mohamed for a matter of months and we weren’t the ones who’ve made him what he is today.

“Obviously we have a plan for him to become an A-League regular in the future but prior to that it’s been all the NTC and his family.

“He and his brother are really good kids, very humble and they don’t get ahead of themselves.

“There’s not too much fanfare or jumping around. When he’s around the boys, Mohamed is just a quiet kid who happens to have all the attributes to become a professional footballer.

“But so did Teeboy Kamara, who was around the club when I was here as a player, and also
Alusine Fofanah.

“But those guys’ careers fizzled our just as quickly as the hype came around their debuts. “That’s what we have to be wary of here. With all these kids the proof is in the pudding.”

Djite said Al Hassan’s current predicament  - possibly out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture suffered on Olyroos duty - was illustrative of football’s ever fluctuating fates.

“It just shows how quickly things can change - both positively and sometimes negatively,” he said.

“He’ll do everything he can to be back for the finals, hopefully that’s the plan.

“He’s has a big six months - in the middle of last year he was playing for our youth team.”



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5 min read
Published 10 February 2020 4:28pm
By Dave Lewis

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