When Ronaldo arrived in the Netherlands to play for PSV, he was 18. Way back in 2001, Olympique Lyonnais didn't even blink before signing some unknown kid from Gremio called Ronaldinho, where before the age of 21 the buck-toothed genius had scored in almost every second game he played in. Almost every time Gonzalo Higuaín touches the ball, Real Madrid is praised for having the foresight for bringing him from River Plate at the tender age of 19, and while hardly a football journo this side of the Atlantic knew who the 22-year old Javier Hernández was before Alex Ferguson signed him for Manchester United, they have all since applauded the whisky-nosed Scot for the coup.
So why the bloody hell is it that lazy hacks the football world over still insist on talking about “experience”? What would today's European football be like to watch if Thomas Muller, Wayne Rooney, Mezut Ozil or – heaven forbid – Lionel Messi had all been left on the reserves to "mature"?
Last season, Roma had the oldest squad in the league and absolutely no strength in depth. Now, the average age of the squad is 26.8, there's a young and hungry team of players at the coach's disposal and crucially, there's a spine of experienced class too.
Back when the Giallorossi last won the Scudetto in 2000/01, Walter Samuel, Vincent Candela, Damiano Tommasi, Francesco Totti and Vincenzo Montella were all at or below 25. But when combined with the knowledge and skill of players like Aldair, Cafu and Batistuta, they turned out just fine.
So what of the latest Romalution? Well, it is rather tempting to get excited and while this is not necessarily the team I'd pick, I've drawn it up to illustrate how many of these youngsters could be integrated into the team right away.
I chose this line-up simply to show how strong even a "young" Roma team might be. With the exception of Jose Angel, all of the above have senior international caps, and despite their age Pjanic, Bojan, Lamela and Angel have all featured heavily at club level, too. Simon Kjaer could prove an astute signing because despite a tough season in Germany, Roma will have a fine defender for the future – as long as the Dane rediscovers the form he showed at Palermo, where he made more than 60 league appearances before the age of 21.
This promise, coupled with seasoned players like Perrotta, Pizarro and Borriello on the bench, makes for a potentially intoxicating blend.
Stekelenburg in goal is a no-brainer. The mere thought of Bogdan Lobont ever pulling on a Roma shirt again fills me with terror. Gianluca Curci returns to his native Rome after being relegated with Sampdoria, and no longer looks like the future Italy number one many tipped him to be. That said, at just 26 he shouldn't be written off. Let's just hope the Dutchman settles in nicely and stays injury-free.
At 24, Aleandro Rosi is yet to develop into a grown-up player and many question if he will ever be truly good enough for that right back slot. Sometimes, his passing and crossing is just mental. Marco Cassetti is ten years older and not the speed demon he once was, but new-signing Loic Nego is too young to risk, having only a handful of club games with Nantes and some U-20 internationals to his name. I've never understood why anyone would rate Cicinho as a footballer, but we'll wait and see.
Burdisso and Juan are sure to start in the centre, with Kjaer and Gabriel Heinze providing cover. The Argentine is 33, but he came free, and in fairness featured heavily over the last two years in a Marseilles team that won both league and cup honours. He might also provide cover for Jose Angel at left-back. The Spaniard has shone since breaking into the Sporting Gijon senior team, and many expect great things. He offers much, both in defence and attack.
The midfield and attack could be exciting. With Gago to cover the back four, De Rossi might be allowed to become that box-to-box midfielder he once was, influencing the play across the pitch rather than sitting in the deep position forced upon him by Claudio Ranieri's formation.
The front four above are flexible, comfortable in several positions each and all blessed with intelligence and flair on the ball. Totti needs no introduction, and considering that at Barcelona he broke the records set by Messi, neither should Bojan Krkic. Going on his long, long record as a talent spotter, Walter Sabatini's gamble on Erik Lamela should pay off because he looks like a talented kid. The aforementioned Higuaín made a similar move from River Plate to Real Madrid aged 19, and despite the money spent on Galacticos 2.0, many still hail him as Los Blancos best player.
One wonders where Borriello fits into coach Luis Enrique's philosophy, and plenty question the validity of Pablo Daniel Osvaldo's signing. Between 2006 and 2010, the Argentine played for four Italian teams in Serie B and the top flight, yet managed only 17 league goals in all that time. Admittedly, he has looked better since moving to Espanyol, but whether that's because of the Spanish league's dodgy defensive quality or because the striker matured is open for debate.
Anyone with any alternative line-ups/death threats, please feel free to comment.
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