They were among the last to finish, with their tournament in Qatar, and they'll be among the first to start up again when they take part in the Trofeo Tappari right after New Year. The Giovanissimi Nazionali are the most workaholic side in the Bianconeri youth academy and Claudio Gabetta's team are seeing out the year on the training ground in Vinovo. The Under-15s' coach took stock of the situation as he prepares to lead them into fresh challenges in the new year.
The winter break interrupted a run of seven straight wins. Seven victories, including two against direct rivals, which saw the Bianconeri climb up the table into second place. Gabetta admitted: "We came into the break on a high, having shown constant improvement. We had a good start to the year, winning the Ricky and Ale tournament, then we went through a period of adjustment as the newcomers settled in and we dropped a few points along the way. But we were definitely on the up towards the end and we came out on top in a couple of six-pointers against Sampdoria and Torino. The break has halted our run, but it was crucial for us to take some time off and wind down."
2012 ended with an important experience for the Bianconeri youngsters as they competed in a prestigious youth tournament in Qatar. Gabetta explained: "It was an opportunity for the lads to match themselves against some really good sides. The game against the Ireland national team made us realise that we still have a gap to bridge before we can be truly competitive. But these tournaments and test matches help us grow in all aspects."
Such an experience can only benefit the kids when they return to the serious action, with the march towards the end-of-season finals beginning in January. They're hoping for another chance to win the national title that was taken away from them so cruelly a few months ago. Looking ahead,the coach concluded: "We must get going again with a bounce in our step. We know there's a long way to go but we want to be winning things, in keeping with the history of this club. We must take big strides forward in the coming months as we close in on the finals. To begin with, we must try to get ourselves into a good position on the starting grid for the playoffs and maybe even try to come top of our group again. After what happened last year, everyone – myself as much as anyone – really wants to have another go at it and start winning things again."
Source: Juventus.com
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