Young Socceroo defender Adrian Madaschi has spent the past few years playing in the youth ranks of Italian club Atalanta, whom he helped take out the Primavera Coppa Italia for two consecutive years, 1999/2000 and 2000/01. Over the off-season the 19-year old agreed to spend the 2001/02 campaign with Serie C side Monza and, after scattered appearances off the bench, Madaschi has featured in the starting line-up of each of the clubs past three League outings and two Cup games as they went through to the last eight of the Italian Cup for Serie C. This week we caught up with the talented youngster to discuss his summer move, playing in Italy and the season ahead ...

Tell us a little about your move to Monza ...
"I joined Monza at the start of this season as a part of a loan agreement that runs for one season. It allows me to learn more about the game and gain senior first team experience, all of which will be a vital stepping stone for the years to come. At the end of the season I'll again be considered an Atalanta player and they'll decide on what I'll do. That is, whether I will return to Atalanta with the first team, or whether I go out and play in another Serie C or B club depending on the offers and how I go this season."

How did the loan deal come about?
"The deal was part of an agreement with Atalanta, Monza and my manager and was one that had interests and benefits for all parties. Here in Italy, it is a very common thing for young players who have just come out of playing the Primavera league to move to clubs of lower category in order to gain experience. It's rare for a young player to be put straight into a Serie A first team - unless of course you're a wiz-kid - as they don't want to put their faith in youngsters who lack experience. Young players are encouraged to go to Serie C or B clubs for a few years and then, depending on ones' progress, an eventual return to their original club."

Monza is better known for car racing than it's football, why did you opt to join them?
"The reason I joined Monza is that it was a club located close to Bergamo, the city where Atalanta is based, and that would still allow me to keep in contact with my 'mother club' and the people involved with it. I also knew that Monza was a great place to allow a younger player to learn the tricks of the trade and that many of Serie A's talents and superstars have been through Monza's ranks, so that presented well. The club's training facilities are of optimal standards and the pitches are fantastic. It is a club that is administered well and the people around it are very welcoming and helpful so these were the principle reasons. I figured it would be a good starting position for me to develop further as a player and I hope that this can come true."

After establishing yourself as a regular in the Atalanta youth teams over the past few years, how are you finding the adjustment to first team football at Monza?
"One thing I must say is that Serie C football is very competitive and I don't think many people realise this. Whether you are playing against the best team in the league or the worst, it's always going to be a tough battle for 100 minutes. No one gives you any room to capitalize on ... I can guarantee you that!

On a personal level, are you happy with the way things are coming along?
"I'd say that on a personal basis yes I am happy. It's taken a while to for me to get the regular starts that I was hoping for, but nothing comes easy and the last few games are fruit of my very hard training, persistence and patience in waiting for my chance. So far I think I have done well and can honestly say that I am up to the standards. But there is no such thing as a regular spot here so week-in week-out you must train very hard and prove that you are the right person who should be starting on Sunday. I take every week one at a time, putting in my full effort and concentration at training to try and combine the new things I'm learning at Monza with those I'm used to doing in order to improve each and every aspect of my game. This of course is a very hard thing! I still have a hell of a lot of learning to do this season and in the future and I am more than excited to see what the situation will be 6 months from now ... let's hope all will be positive!"

Your new club haven't had the best of starts to the season, after eleven games they are sitting in the bottom half of the ladder. Do you think Monza will be able to turn things around and become a serious challenger for the title this season?
"As you said, we have not had the greatest start to our season but I firmly believe that we can get back on track and look to getting into the play-offs and try and make our way back into Serie B. The team is very young, has a great desire to train hard, make the sacrifices and arrive to the top. There is some great young talent and some very good experienced players. I think our problem is based on mentality and each and every player needs to take just a little bit more responsibility of ones' self to help the team run in perfect unison - that is, everyone having the same mentality and working for each other. When we are able to do this I think things will pan out very well and I hope that this can come about as soon as possible for the benefit of the team and then each individual."

What are your aims and goals for this season in Serie C1?
"My main aim is to learn as much as possible from Serie C/mens football ... that is the tricks, discipline, determination and effort required for competing at this level, and higher levels as well. I need to always put in maximum effort to get the rewards at the end, no matter what they may be. My goal with Monza is to play ten to fifteen - hopefully closer to the latter - full games this season and to show myself off to the major clubs here and the people that count. I need to prove to my 'mother club', Atalanta, that I am learning, maturing and progressing as a player and that I am also acquiring what I will hopefully need for an eventual return to the senior team. I am always positive and optimistic about this because that is the major goal."

Thanks for taking the time to chat Adrian and giving the folks in Perth an update on what you have been up to ...
Thank you for your interest in what's happening over here. It's much appreciated that you are giving soccer followers in Australia an idea of what the younger generation of players are doing abroad and how they are progressing. And I'd also like to say hello to Adrian Caceras at Southampton, he was and still remains a good friend even though we don't hear from each other as much any more. We grew up together at Perth Italia in the Under 14's, 15's and 18's and used to play some great football. Anyway, caio for now!

Copyright Brett Klucznik, 2001. No part of this article may be reproduced without the prior content of it's author, Brett Klucznik (bklucznik@iprimus.com.au). Doing so would be a violation of copyright laws and regulations.