One of the best things about being a football fan is seeing a talented boy ascend through the youth ranks and then become a man – debuting and playing for the first team.
In today’s football world though, it’s rare for a player to stay with their boyhood club for their entire career – especially in the merry go round like A-League off season transfer window.
While the Western Sydney Wanderers have had an interesting start to it with signings, yet another player from their much-maligned youth academy; has quietly left the club with little to no fanfare.
Centreback, Mark Natta has confirmed that the next step in his football journey, will be with the Newcastle Jets – Signing a 2-year contract
Natta had been with the Wanderers since the club academy’s inception, starting in the under 14s and working his way up through the age groups before making 20+ appearances for the senior side.
The Wanderers’ loss could be Newcastle’s gain though – as Natta has almost everything required to be a successful centre back.
When you see Natta’s mop of curly hair coupled with his gangly frame, the last thing you would think of would be a footballer – but appearances can be very deceiving.
Natta can be almost pedestrian like with the ball at his feet, however possess excellent recovery speed when the ball is lost – his positioning and cool demeanour, are handy when there is danger imminent.
Aerially he is a threat in both boxes and like many modern centrebacks, Natta is comfortable bringing the ball forward and has a good short passing range with different degrees of weighted passes.
There are two areas of concern that Mark will hope to address whilst with the Newcastle Jets – long diagonal balls and one-on-one defending.
The long raking 60-yard diagonal ball is a staple for every young centreback in today’s age, but it is a pass that can only be mastered with a lot of practice – Natta will need to hone this skill, which will be particularly useful for the Jets with their pacey forward line and attacking play.
The one-on-one defending is the most glaring of the two improvement areas, because Natta has shown that physically he can match it with bigger bodied opponents.
Mariners forward Matt Simon is one of the most unorthodox strikers in the league and a young defender’s nightmare, but Natta was able to give as good as he got, winning the lion share of duels for the full 90 minutes in a match against the mariners.
However, smaller intelligent attackers have been able to sucker Natta in on more than one occasion – winning multiple free kicks around the box as well as penalties with their intelligence, compared to the naivety of Natta’s youth.
Natta’s new side Newcastle Jets were one of the best attacking sides to watch last season, their absence from the finals series was down to a very leaky defence – in particular error-prone centebacks.
His new coach Arthur Pappas is a firm admirer and with his record of developing young players, there is every chance that the signing of Mark Natta will be a success – but where exactly does this leave the Wanderers’ fabled academy?
Some would argue it is the best academy of any A-League side, when you take into consideration the sheer number of talented footballers that come from Western Sydney.
It has not produced enough high-quality players, while letting a lot leave – for a number of reasons – that should not only worry the Wanderers, but the A League as a whole.
Time will tell if letting Mark Natta go was a mistake, however a fresh start with an attack minded jets side – Should be the perfect platform, for the young centreback to restart his career.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
J, mate I have nothing but respect for the SPL. A league of it's standing and history should be commended to say the least for seeing the potential and qualities of Australian football. My Grand mother was Scots and I completely identity with my heritage. My wife and I spent 10 days doing a lap of Scotland. We took every back road, lane and of the beaten track option we could. It made the hair stand up in the back of my neck. It was the weirdest feeling that I was home again. And I am not kicking the bucket before I go to Murrayfield for Scotland v England
jbinnie
Guest
fil - Careful what you wish for even in jest. Just 55 years ago ,1967, that same SPL provided 2 teams to compete in the final matches of then top two competitions in European football, the European Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup. In these games Celtic used a team of players, all native to Scotland when beating the mighty Inter Milan 2-1 and Rangers. in losing 0-1 to the German team Bayern Munich after extra time.. Rangers too had a team of native born player with only 1 exception ,a Dane, playing right back What has happened to Scottish football in those years????? Wouldn't we all likr know the answer to that occurrence. Cheers jb.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
You think! Robinson was lower than a snake's belly. Potentially a pretender. I would suggest his little stint in Australia will never see him invited back again. All he achieved he was to get on the wrong side of a lot of fans, show that he doesnt have the faintest eye for talent e.g. Kamau, and he completely and utterly fell short of expectation. Pretender who I would suggest will be getting a job with a Welsh road gang before he gets a managers job again.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Carl Robinson was an overrated Gaffer who used players as a crutch to try and cover his short falls my perspective. Didnt he leave Vancouver on acrimonious terms as well? I might be completely wrong, but the optics suggested he was an opportunist, with the loyalty and integrity of a rock
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
totally agree, and keep the faith Chris, it's coming and then the backyard sports will need a change of trousers when they finally comprehend the potential.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Coasty, intell is everything, and I am grateful for the insight, Newy doesnt need prats who dont appreciate their good fortune, we've had enough of those, more so in the owner space than then player space
Buddy
Roar Rookie
BT – I thought season 2020/21 counts as a couple of seasons ago? I thought Natta needed nurturing or mentoring breaking into the side in his teens but it didn’t happen. Not sure about Sotirio. If I personally slagged him off in forums it would have been through being somewhat one dimensional although I’d like to believe I’m not rude about players abilities – focus more on how they fit in and what they can do. I ask similar questions to those that you pose and there comes a time when you just leave it alone – its too frustrating. Maybe I should join the ranks of Eurosnobs? – truth is I enjoy MLS more these days….it is around about where I’d like to see the A League. I agree about Wilmering btw – but after that season ending injury he has had very little opportunity and looked very fragile when I last saw him. I hope he gets back to where he was a couple of years ago.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
gordon is absolute pants - to make matters ever worse, he is a mercenary who moved to 'win titles" and failed spectacularly good riddance imo
Coastyboi
Guest
Ziggy’s still got a lot to offer, but his second season at WSW was a let down. The guy’s a great leader, & he’s a clever cookie, but his flip flop attitude (& middle finger) to CCM fans is unforgivable. Would I buy him at Newcastle? Yeah, maybe offer a year long contract. He’s a defender who can score goals too, but essentially he’s a snake. Sorry, Ziggy.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Ha Ha “A League North” :laughing:
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
just read that the 'nix are chasing Roy Krishna. May be a bit of back to the future going on over there.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
What are you talking about, Natta came into the side 2020/21, thats the season before last. Mourdoukatis on the other hand he started in the A-league in 2018/19 and now gone to Canada. Natta and Mourdoukatis never impressed me, the reverse in fact. The big question is why did you let Sotorio go as well as slag him off in the forums, I always thought Sotirio can run a bit and showed some energy. Wilmering, Aquilina, Russel all great wide players and have performed from the get go not like Natta and the other guy lets bring in Adama Traore from the wooden spooners genius move. Why not play Wilmering always a great player in the A-league. What about Kamau he had incredible year 2020/21 9 goals without many minutes, Robinson didn't even want to play him. Why does a club splash the cash on Hemed when you have Duke proven performer in the A-league and hard worker off the ball, and you have Kamau offer them the money and keep the here. Duke scored 14 in a season whats wrong with that. My thinking on Robinson is that he had his own bit of dodgy business going on
chris
Guest
LH good point but a club will only do the bare minimum regarding academies if there is no return on them. We need to have a fully developed open system in football. That means transfer fees, second div with pro/rel, salary cap removal etc etc. These closed models ala NRL/AFL makes us uncompetitive not only here, but on the global market. There might be a few years of pain, but the game needs to grow and the shackles need to come off.
chris
Guest
Yes its kinda like when you move jobs because you'll only get a promotion that way. I've only seen Natta a couple of times but he looks handy and hopefully he can keep developing. Good central defenders are hard to find. We used to produce them by the truck load but sadly has dropped off in recent times.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
bugger, they should have gone after Gordon, but I guess there's potentially more value in a rough diamond that you can polish up
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Coooommmmmeeee on you Jeeeeeets!!! This kid has some talent, I agree in that regard. I would also suggest that Arthur Papas has the ability as a Manager, to take the kid to the next level. An additional positive is that he is going to be working with some positive identities, Elsey, O'Neill, Piscopo, Hoffman. Hopefully the kid develops enough to warrant a move to the A-League North i.e. SPL :stoked:
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
the club academies were meant to replace the AIS centre of excellence and I thought they were made compulsory, part of the deal that goes with the club licence.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
When Natta broke into the side a couple of seasons ago he was showing some promising signs whilst playing under a coach who appeared to be lacking any kind of coherent policy or game plan. Still, at least he gave a number of the younger players an opportunity which is something that the club's fans appear to want. Now with a new regime in place, it does appear that unless a superstar emerges from the ranks, there will be little in the way of opportunities for the academy players to flourish and gain game time in the A league. The club continues to lack clear leadership and direction and I'd be willing to bet if you surveyed 100 fans of various types, you would receive 100 different responses as to what the club stands for these days, what it is trying to achieve and what the playing style will be in 2022/2023. Irrespective of what anyone thinks of Mark Natta to date - he has without doubt made a decision that will help his career and hopefully he will blossom under the guidance and coaching of Mr Pappas.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Natta had a poor season was the worst defender for WSW, Koutroumbis second worst. Suprised Natta was picked up, he is faster at least than Jurman and Elsey. Ziggy Gordon has been let go, he was actually decent. Mrcela did a decent job as well, he has been retained. Williams very good passer, does go on fishing expeditions with lunging slide tackles for no reason, got cramps in games as well which was suprising maybe due to overwork from the fishing expeditions. Cancar totally outshone Natta and Koutroumbis and is going to Scotland, he was the success story. WSW have lost Hemed,Ibini,Ngoto,Bacchus,Ugarkovic brought into amiltifano a lot of French lig 1 exp but cant see how he is an attacking midfielder scores like a goal a season, Ngabato, Ivorian winger French lig 1 and 2 exp. At least the two new guys are 30-32.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
for every 1 good game elsey and jurman play, they have 3 or 4 bad games combined lol - thats the reaon newy missed out on finals last year they've had a solid off season so far, not the most spectacular signings - but theyre all players who will fit paps system