Search User
The Mail Bag

Abe Donzo - the next Wayne Rooney?

Comments (19)

Some time ago, ToffeeWeb had an article regarding the trial of young Abe Donzo. It looks like Abe will be signing a one-year contract with Everton's Academy, pending resolution to some of his immigration problems. Here's a link to an article about him:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Making+soccer+grade+tough+business/2790858/story.html

I know that many are going to lambaste me (especially for this title!) but this kid is really exciting, and his coaches here in Ottawa are confident that he is ready to make the next big step to play in Europe. I hope they are correct.

Also, I would like to point out that any Evertonians who doubt the resourcefulness of our club's scouting system are simply misguided. The fact that they have found Abe in Canada, where most kids play ice hockey and "soccer" receives no attention, media or financial, I think shows that Moyes and Co are doing a great job in this area.

COYB
Alex Marsh Nikas, Ottawa, Canada     Posted 12/05/2010 at 00:13:10

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Brian Williams
1   Posted 12/05/2010 at 05:39:57

Report abuse

Far from lambasting you mate, I'd like to say thanks for the heads up. Here's hoping he IS the next Wayne Rooney, but this time around we're ready for someone of that calibre....

Talking of the "next big thing" and bearing in mind that David Moyes has said he wants a top striker (finances allowing of course) I'd love to see us go all out to sign Romelu Lukaka from Anderlecht, even using all of what we have available to spend this close season!
Norman Merrill
2   Posted 12/05/2010 at 07:43:30

Report abuse

Very interesting Alex, we will have to keep our eye on that one during the coming months.
Tony J Williams
3   Posted 12/05/2010 at 09:34:53

Report abuse

Let's hope he does better than Peterlin.
Chris Ashton
4   Posted 12/05/2010 at 11:04:55

Report abuse

If you read the article, it says he won a reality tv show. That is strange considering Everton is not exactly a household name. To be honest we must be doing something good over there then that the club has kept quiet!
Sam Hoare
5   Posted 12/05/2010 at 11:17:33

Report abuse

Good luck to him.
Simon Thorne
6   Posted 12/05/2010 at 11:14:07

Report abuse

Don't think we should be 'too' excited, Abe Donzo was the winner of the the TV show Soccer Dreams, looking for talent over North America, the prize being a place at Everton Youth Academy. These sort of shows have been run across England, and we're yet to see anyone come through from it.

But I think it's brilliant that we're running this sort of thing, maybe we can find a true gem of a player, if not we're getting the Everton name out there.

Best of luck to him, hope he does well.
Simon Thorne
7   Posted 12/05/2010 at 11:43:43

Report abuse

Also is this old news? After searching around a little bit the tv show ended in 2008, the article you posted is 2009 so is this a contract extension he's signing, is he already with us? Or is he only just getting over here?

*Slightly confused/hungover*
Ciarán McGlone
8   Posted 12/05/2010 at 12:48:17

Report abuse

"Also, I would like to point out that any Evertonians who doubt the resourcefulness of our club's scouting system are simply misguided."

Case closed.
Martin Clark
9   Posted 12/05/2010 at 13:15:31

Report abuse

I'm with you, Brian, on the Romelu Lukaka from Anderlecht pitch!
Tony McNulty
10   Posted 12/05/2010 at 13:55:51

Report abuse

So,

Is he a new signing ... or will he be like a new signing?
David McKitt
11   Posted 12/05/2010 at 14:10:37

Report abuse

I see the RS are being linked to one of our previous transfer rumours:

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2010/05/09/liverpool-plan-8m-raid-to-sign-argentine-alonso-rafa-to-swoop-for-valencia-starlet-ever-banega/

With the fat waiter's obvious failings in the transfer market, and possible lack of funds, I hope to god they don't start buying every player we're interested in. I don't think I can handle a summer of being linked with a player to only find out the RS has bought him before we could!!

Martin Mason
12   Posted 12/05/2010 at 14:50:01

Report abuse

David, why would anybody join a busted flush like Liverpool when they can sign for Everton? Be positive mate.
Michael Kenrick
13   Posted 12/05/2010 at 15:53:46

Report abuse

Back to Abe Donzo: The Ottowa Citizen quotes his DoB as 3 Sep 1995... which wold make him only 14! Wiki (supposedly error-prone?) says 3 Sep 1993, making him 17 in time for next season, which sounds much more likely.

Wiki says there was a knee injury that delayed him joining the Youth Academy back in 2008. Interesting that it says he's already been at the Academy for 3 months... but in that time I don't believe he has played for the Under-18s. (I need to update our stats for those kids...)
Wilson Tan
14   Posted 12/05/2010 at 17:47:38

Report abuse

There's more on Abe Donzo on the official site (dated 30 April 2010): http://www.evertonfc.com/news/a-budding-young-star.html

Stated in the article by Ray Hall, "Abraham will go home next week but all being well he'll come back in September time, when he's due to turn 16."
Peter Warren
15   Posted 12/05/2010 at 21:30:03

Report abuse

If he's 16 or 17 and next Wayne Rooney then doubt he would be with us. I know nothing about him, but I won't get excited soon and chances are that he's shite like the rest of our academy foreign signings.
Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
16   Posted 12/05/2010 at 22:45:45

Report abuse

Wilson Tan (#14): I looked at that story but I believe it is from April 2009, not April 2010. (That would fit with him turning 16 in September '09 his DoB being 3 Sep 93.) It's tough to figure these things out because the Official club site does not believe it is necessary to put the year on their dateline tags... However, scroll down this list to see what I believe is the correct publication date:

http://www.evertonfc.com/everton-blog/?startfrom=40

Turns out there have been a slew of stories about him on the web over the last couple of years, so I think I will try to comply a chronological summary of the story so far... primer for his ToffeeWeb Player Profile, which we will need next season when he bursts on to the scene and bangs in a few excellent goals to get our campaign off and running.

Alex Marsh Nikas
17   Posted 13/05/2010 at 03:05:25

Report abuse

Thanks, Michael and Wilson, for the links, to be perfectly honest I had no idea Ray Hall had his own blog!

Just to clarify a few things, the local newspaper article I provided in the original post is from this year. Abe was playing games for Everton's Academy in the past few months, and I heard from a source close to his family that he scored 4 goals in the first half in a game somewhere in Eastern Europe (possibly Prague). Not sure how true this is, and if someone can verify this (maybe some sort of youth tournament?), that would excellent.

As for Ray's blog, I do believe it is an error regarding the date, it seems to be inconsistent with other information out there. Also, I believe various birth dates are a result of the fact that no one really knows exact date when Abe was born. Liberian refugee camps probably do not keep the most accurate records.

Kevin Gillen
18   Posted 13/05/2010 at 13:46:41

Report abuse

I think our scouting system is excellent and we're doing as well as any other Premier League club in providing youngsters to the first team or for sale to clubs in the lower reaches if they don't make it with us.

I am with Dave on post 11 though. We seem to be doing scouting for the RS as well. Agger, Kuyt, Sissoko were all targets for us at one point, now it seems Banega, who looks a brilliant playmaker is going in the same route. He is similar to Arteta and obviously not as good but it does bug me that we can't seem to polish off some of these transfers. (By the way, I'm glad we didn't get Kuyt! — couldn't hit a barn door!).

Tom Bowers
19   Posted 18/05/2010 at 13:11:26

Report abuse

Abe has potential, like many kids his age, and sadly many of them do not step up to the next level. Rooney was an exception but came through with Everton during a difficult financial period. Abe will be back with the Academy for one more season and this time next year we will know if Everton want to keep him. Apparently he has really impressed so far. He is from Liberia, 6 feet tall and still growing. Sounds a bit like Big Vic.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.



© ToffeeWeb

Recent Articles


The Unofficial Everton Timeline – 2014-2024 The Moshiri Years
  Team Pld GD Pts
10 Chelsea 38 6 52
11 Fulham 38 -4 52
12 Newcastle 38 -2 49
13 Everton 38 -3 49
14 Leeds 38 -7 47
15 Crystal Palace 38 -10 45
16 Nottingham Forest† 38 -3 44

View full table

Talking Points & General