Moise Kean fails to make the Italy national squad

So Evertonians hoping to see how our players are doing in the upcoming tournaments have another one who has failed to make the final squad.

Thanks for the heads-up, Barry. I converted it to a news item.

Quite a surprise... but then he is very young and national managers seem inherently conservative when it comes to young but really talented players.

Or maybe he's just not as good as their other strikers and there is simply no room for him in the squad.

He's been on the fringes since he made his debut in 2018. They do have a lot of attacking options. The Italian press didn't seem surprised at his omission. It seems they feel he's not at the level of the rest but, as you say, Michael, he is still young.

It's a shame we won't see him in the Euros; if there is a positive, at least he's not going to get injured before being sold.

I'd have liked to have seen Tosun playing for Turkey too, we could have found a buyer for him if he was scoring. He had his operation 7 weeks ago on his knee ligament (I think), has there been any updates on his recovery from that?

Probably didn't make it after the Italian FA decided after all, that it's not such a big deal scoring a few goals in the French Sunday league.

Rob, he couldn't score in the Premier League either.

Tony,

Good point on the shop window — although they'd have to perform.

I think he's a reasonable player but no more than that, whereas I get the impression he thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. If Italy have options up front, I can see why he isn't getting a shot, but it is a bit of a nuisance. We could do with him tearing it up to get a few bob for more suitable players – then again, he might have bombed.

Spot on, Barry.

Self-inflated opinion.

Apparently, Gomes has also been left out of the Portuguese squad, which my dad tells me was a surprise back in Portugal.

Hopefully these players realize that they need to play better for Everton to make the national squad.

Can't make the Italian squad after all that exposure to the Champions League and world class teammates? PSG are about to roll up and that's if they still want him, they'll say they're doing us a favour taking him off our hands.

Carlos Nunes @ 10

Some of our players wouldn't make the San Marino squad.

I was always told as a kid, "To achieve success, you need to put the effort in." Something our players clearly haven't heard.

Everton have to face facts: they have quite a few players who will never be consistent enough to warrant first-choice starts in the Premier League. There are far too many to mention but I think, after what we have seen this season, we all know who they are.

I only hope Carlo now has a firm handle on these players and makes moves to have management move them out so that class replacements can be brought in.

Moise Kean really didn't get an extended run in the Everton starting XI but did show some decent form at PSG alongside Neymar; it remains to be seen if he makes it back at Everton.

Tom 14

You might just be on to something there. Stick players next to Neymar, they probably look better!

I would love to keep him in our squad. But he needs discipline off the field. Let's see what happens...

Nicolas @ 16,

He doesn't want to be here and, by the looks of his behaviour since arrival, he might be another Balotteli.

Make what we can on him and get rid now.

Tom, "another Balotelli"?

Balotelli has had career-long disciplinary problems, fought with teammates and managers, got sent off repeatedly, crashed cars, broke curfew, partied relentlessly, acted erratically and deadbeated two children he fathered out of wedlock.

Kean has shown little sign of any of those indiscretions, outside of the foolishness of his little lockdown party. His behavior at Juve has been flawless and he thrived there.

The only thing Kean has in common with Balotelli is being racially abused by the Italian fans.

Your comparison is extremely inappropriate.

That said, it's obvious we should sell Kean if he doesn't want to be here -- rumor has Juve giving up on keeping him, and PSG seems highly interested.

My nominee to replace him would be the massive Yank Daryl Dike, for whom we are reportedly leading a pack of no less than 8 Premier League clubs -- TalkSport has us ahead of Wolves, Brighton, Palace, Norwich, WBA, Saints and Fulham.

Of course, Fulham and WBA aren't Premier League anymore, but you get my point.

Plays for Juventus and Italy before he's 19 and gets transferred for £35M.

Then joins, on loan, one of the biggest, certainly among the richest, clubs in Europe and plays alongside some who are regarded as among the best players in the world.

Then is selected for Italy's preliminary squad for the European Nations Finals, and some of you think he has a high opinion of himself? At least he sounds a tad better than some who've warmed the bench at Everton.

I personally wouldn't write this lad off just now. I'd actually like to see him back at Everton.

You very rarely get a Rooney who is ready made at 17. A lot of young players have the pressure of expectation placed on them and it becomes a burden.

For me, a talent that has burst onto the scene but has had the inevitable setbacks and disappointing us supporters because guess what; he's still got a lot of developing to do. Footballing, physically and mentally.

There is obviously a personal side to this and I hope he comes good and doesn't get ruined either through personal choices or the burden of expectation placed on him.

Kean at 20 has had some great experience, already played and lived in three countries. This football and life experience is going to mature him a bit faster. He's still learning and not the finished article but who can say he's not improved this last season? 19 goals on loan is not too shabby. He has got a high opinion of himself, but strikers are nothing without confidence.

I think at the prices being bandied around, he will be a good investment for PSG who will probably make money on him because of his age and further improvement. It's a shame we won't be benefiting from his goals in the years to come (we need a few!) but I will be following his progress elsewhere with interest.

Obviously some press reports on the value of our players is ridiculously low. I can't believe Everton would consider selling Kean for £34 million.

He has 3 years left on his contract, we should play hardball on this get Kean's agent on a call and tell him his client ain't going anywhere unless we get £50 million, just for once show some bollix.

We all know when Kean goes Everton will state an undisclosed fee!!!!

Mike Gaynes @ 18

"... outside of the foolishness of his little lockdown party"

Maybe that might give you some insight into the mindset of this righteous young man.

If you think throwing a party during this lockdown is just foolishness, then in all seriousness we have no common frame of reference in this thread, there's no point going on with this.

I'm suffering, people are dying and many lives have been ruined because of this pandemic, he with his party may have made a contribution towards this nightmare and you with your attitude have enabled him.

Tom,

He has done nothing that millions of kids his age aren't doing every night. Not saying that is right or wrong, but look at the self-harm and suicide rates amongst young people over the last year. Massive raise in the figures.

Young people need to start living their lives again.

We probably need to get him gone asap so we can bring some doh in before we start spending. I think he's overrated anyway.

After adding a few quality signings, we need to see Carlo sticking to a system so that we can keep players fit with rotation, then we might try and avoid the niggling injuries that stopped the roll we were on, twice. With the right balance and quality signings we are not as far away as some might think. (I hope!)

Tom, the comparisons with Balotelli are totally wrong and based purely on him being Black and Italian. Their playing styles are miles off, and I'd say their abilities are too: Balotelli was extremely talented, could have been a generational talent but fell short due to his personal disciplinary issues.

Just one incident during lockdown - as with many players. everytime Grealish (drink driving, crashing, breaking lockdown rules) plays, no-one talks about him becoming a new Gazza. Maguire got in a fight in Greece, got arrested, and yet he's not constantly referred to as a new George Best. Yet everytime Kean is mentioned, someone, somewhere mentions Balotelli.

As to Kean himself

Kean's talent is still up for debate. He's quick, and could develop into a poacher with a bit of strength and power. But he's not supremely skillfull, he's not extremely quick.

Italy have many good attacking options: Immobile, Chiesa, Belotti and Insigne have been consistent performers in the Serie A for some time now. The others I'm unfamiliar with, but they have pipped Kean. Possibly due to playing in Italy and not France.

Kean had a good, not spectacular, season for PSG. He scored goals, but again, in a weak league playing for a team that dominates possession. PSG had an awful season considering, losing the league and failure in the Champions League. Kean got 13 league goals in 26 games decent return, nothing spectacular. He got 3 in 9 Champions League games, again, decent and not spectacular.

For a 20/21 year old, they are solid state that show that he could progress further and become a 20+ goal striker.

I'd quite like to see him come back to Everton, he'd be solid back up/competition/partner for DCL. But again, of we do sell then so be it.

I'm not altogether surprised he wasn't selected. How many here watched Kean play in the French league this season? Just three of his thirteen league goals came against teams in the top half of the league, and in the end PSG fell a point short and failed to win the title.

PSG took one point from twelve in the four games they played with eventual title winners Lille and the team that finished immediately behind them, Monaco.

In the big games PSG were ultimately found wanting. Kean certainly is not as responsible for that as his more senior team mates but it seems he's paid a price as well.

The perception, rightly or wrongly, of Kean as a "flat-track bully" and his lack of selection for this summer's festivities will obviously not enhance his transfer value one bit. It's just another headache for Brands and the Everton brains trust.

How would you categorise it then, Tom? Malicious?

A few weeks ago, a 19-year-old student (of what I have no idea) was interviewed on national news as she was fortunate enough to be one of those who were permitted to attend the Wembley FA Cup semi-finals, and came out with the gem “Of course, I am in the age group of those who can't catch Covid.”

The interviewer said nothing, the studio host didn't correct this nationally broadcast misinformation. And that's 15 months into the pandemic.

Plenty of people still don't ‘get' this virus and many never will, but most of them can be called foolish rather than malicious or uncaring.

Young footballers are no exception to the situation the world finds itself in. Still the same hormones and testosterone as the man in the street.

It's as difficult for them mentally as it is for Joe Public. The fact that they are wealthy doesn't alienate them from the situation.

Fran #27, well said. That's everything I would have said, only better.

Tom #24 "you with your attitude have enabled him."

Me? Lil' ol' me?

What utter idiocy you spout.

Fran,

I'm glad you made that point about the lazy comparisons with Balotelli. I think they do have one major thing in common though – they have each been treated like garbage by a large population of Italians.

Kean was treated appallingly by team mate and captain Bonucci when he needed some support against a vicious crowd. So after being hounded out of Italy by racists he turned up at Everton as a teenager, played under 3 managers in his first season, had lockdown to contend with and, bad luck, Calvert-Lewinbecame much better than anyone expected and limited his first-team chances.

How would Mason Greenwood or Jadon Sancho or Reece James be getting on now in those circumstances? It took Henry, Evra, Vidic and plenty of others a season or two to get into their stride in much easier circumstances.

Robert #32, more excellent points.

Just off topic a touch.

I really rated Weston McKennie when he played at Leipzig and saw him for the first time in a while against Switzerland yesterday.

I wasn't overly impressed and wonder if Mike G or Jamie have seen more of him the last couple of years?

I watched McKennie a couple of times for Schalke Jay.

He looked a decent player, but one of those you can't quite figure out where his best position is? Versatile is what I'd say, so a good player to have around a squad.

I have, Jay, and he impresses me enormously. Played just about every game for Juventus this season, league and Champions League, starting about half. He has tremendous presence, and his strongest assets are his relentless energy and -- as you mentioned -- his versatility. Pirlo played him in every midfield position and even pushed him back to centre-back a couple times late in games.

At 22, he still needs to work on his consistency, and to me he looked tired yesterday against the Swiss, as he did for the final month of the Serie A season. After 46 appearances in 8 months, playing the way he does, I'm not surprised.

Si @29,

Great post. Somehow it didn't shock me even though it should have. When I was 19 ,I was stupid and reckless, thought I was bombproof and could get away with murder. Kean might make a lot of cash, but he is still a 19-year-old and in a foreign nation, far from family and friends during a particularly stressful time. I think the over-19-year-olds -- which is most of us on here -- should have a bit self-awareness of our younger days and not hold these kids (well paid or not) to a standard of perfection few ever live up to. As you say, foolish not malicious and I am pretty sure Moise would admit that himself.

His talent or lack thereof is one thing, his maturity is an entirely separate issue that we shouldn't bash him over the head with.

Mike Gaynes

That's not a bad result for your boys albeit a defeat but they were missing some key men. Switzerland like Denmark are a good team greater than their parts. I started watching it at the gym but I was working out listening to The Prodigy and tempo was too slow so I turned my attention to The Hunger Games on the other TV.

The Hunger Games in the gym? That should inspire you to new personal highs on the bench press.

When I reflect at the weakness of our bench in so many games it beggers belief that our esteemed coaching staff and Brands sanctioned Kean's loan.
For all of his rawness it would have been a decent attacking option, especially as Carlo started to play Richarlison up top with DCL.
I realise that the kid has a bit of an attitude but perhaps some of our rather grey characters could learn from his swagger, and after all, if you don't believe in yourself -then who else is going to believe in you?
And on his lockdown party...I guess at the age of 20, I would be desperate to hang out with my mates or even some nice girlies.
If we lose DCL or Richie this summer, then Kean might look like a handy option.

I'm surprised he has been left out because Mancini really rates him and had him as first choice striker not long ago. I think Pochettino taking over at PSG has been a disaster for both Moise and Everton as he has started few games under the Argentine.

Had Tuchel remained or another appointed who fancied him I suspect he may have another ten goals, his transfer value would be soaring and he may even be leading the Italian line at the Euro's.

Always amazed this kid was touted as the next big thing and absolutely staggered when PSG give him a go after his showing here.

Not surprised the Italians have shunned him

I'll probably get shot down for this but just to add, Robert @32, having rocked up at Everton with all that we had going on, I remain firm in my belief that he was treated shockingly by Ferguson and subsequently maybe received very little moral support from his peers.

and?