Player Profile: Andrea Dossena

Verona fans still can’t believe it. Not that their team is in the Serie C1 – although there is a lot of incredulity there as well – but rather that Andrea Dossena has become so good.

Often when a local player, particularly one who had come through the ranks to establish himself in the first team, gets to move on this is coupled by expressions of sadness and disappointment. Not for Dossena, however for whom few tears shed. The over-riding feeling was the he simply wasn’t that good.

Of course, the same was said when Massimo Oddo left Verona for Lazio. And when Marco Cassetti moved to Roma. Yet both have gone on to establish themselves among the top players in the Serie A, both have played for Italy and, in Oddo’s case, even gone on to win the Champions League.

Dossena has done the same albeit in a more roundabout manner. His move to Treviso was triggered by the small club’s surprise promotion to the Serie A a tavolino and their desperate attempt to find affordable players irrespective of ability.

With such a strategy, a return to the Serie B was inevitable yet they did strike it lucky with Dossena. He did enough to catch Udinese’s attention who saw in him the ideal replacement for the retiring Vincent Candela.

It was a surprise choice but, as often with Udinese, also the correct one. Given confidence from the start, he has slowly emerged as one of the left-backs in the league.

Such was his progression that last December came his first appearance in an Italy shirt that was soon followed by speculation linking him to a move to Juventus. It prompted Udinese to offer him a new four year contract in order to fend off any interest, although there remained the agreement that he would be kept informed of any offers.

That speculation didn't come as any surprise seeing that many had likened him to Gianluca Zambrotta, the World Cup winning defender, for his strength, ease with which he moves forward and defensive capabilities.

Realistically, he’s not at that level yet and certainly in the second half of the season his form tailed off costing him the chance of making it to the European championships. Yet he has improved massively over the space of the past three yeas and gives impression of being a very intelligent defender. He’s shown great tactical flexibility, performing equally as well within a traditional 4-4-2 formation and in a more attack oriented 4-3-3.

Tellingly, however, it is in the latter system – the one preferred by current Udinese coach Pasquale Marino – that he has done best. By his own admission, the freedom to press forward suits him better even if defensively very little changes. It has certainly placed him more in the spotlight: apart from Juan Vargas there arguably wasn’t a better left-back in the Serie A last season.

Much to the continued amazement of Verona fans.

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