Abou Diop - Star in the Making ?

No matter how passionate a football fan you are, sometimes watching pre-season fixtures can be an arduous task. Whilst you may kid yourself that a good pre-season campaign will lead to a successful season, this is rarely the case, and despite what the coaches and players say, the results are often irrelevant.

This being said, pre-season still gives fans an opportunity to look at their teams new acquisitions for the first time, and obviously I was very interested in seeing how players like Mario Santana, Gianluca Sansone and Alessandro Gazzi would fare in a Torino shirt.

However, it was another player who has grabbed my attention during Toro's warm up games, a player who was already at the club (albeit in the youth team), Senegalese striker Abou Diop. After a promising season with the Primavera squad last season, where he scored nine goals in fifteen matches, it was widely expected that Diop would go out on loan this campaign in order to further his development.

However, after scoring four goals so far in pre-season, including a second half hat trick against Sappada (he also made me look quite knowledgeable after scoring his first goal literally a minute after I spoke about him on Twitter) both Urbano Cairo and Giampiero Ventura have suggested that Diop may stay with Toro for the upcoming season.

Whilst he is still only 18, and it would be quite risky to rely too much on Diop, the fact he has also scored a goal against fellow Serie A side Lazio in pre-season would suggest that he could be a valuable asset at this level. Despite his tender age, Diop is a tall and physical striker with decent technical ability (as you will see on the video below) and is not afraid to try things with the ball at his feet. This unpredictability could trouble defences in the closing stages of Serie A matches, and therefore it is my view that he should stay with Toro, at least until January. Whilst regular football would certainly help his development, training every day with Serie A players (especially strikers like Rolando Bianchi) and making cameo appearances when possible in the top tier will be an invaluable experience for the young striker.

You can see a highlight video of Abou Diop below, and considering the fact that Torino have not had many young players come through their system in recent years (apart from Angelo Ogbonna), it is refreshing to once again be excited about a Primavera prospect.

Torino net Ferronetti

Torino have made another addition to their squad for the upcoming Serie A season, by completing the signing of former Udinese defender Damiano Ferronetti on a two year contract.

Ferronetti has struggled for fitness throughout his career and missed the entire 2010-11 season through injury, but he made 15 appearances for Udinese last season which suggests those problems are now (hopefully) behind him. Although primarily a right-back, Ferronetti can also play as a central defender and will therefore add some much needed versatility and depth to the Torino squad.

Damiano has already joined up with his new teammates at Toro's pre season training camp in Sappada, and played the second half of Torino's first pre season friendly against their hosts - which resulted in a 17-0 victory for the Granata.

Sappada Ritiro Review

Torino have completed their two week ritiro in the picturesque village of Sappada, and remained unbeaten throughout their four friendly matches.

Torino began their warm up for the new season with a fixture against their hosts for the fortnight, A.S.D Sappada, and began in convincing style. Whilst too much should not be read into Torino's 12-0 victory, due to the weakness of their opposition, but Mirco Antenucci and Nnamdi Oduamadi looked impressive as both scored hat tricks. Spare a thought for Torino's third choice goalkeeper Lys Gomis who kept goal for Sappada in an attempt to keep the match relatively competitive. By all accounts, despite conceding 12 times, he did a good job for Torino's opponents, and made numerous saves to keep the score down.

SAPPADA - TORINO 0-12 (0-5)
Sappada: Gomis, Hoffer, Massa, M.Piller, A.Fontana, Albore, Puicher, G.Fontana, De Zordo, Puntil, Piller, Roner. All.: Danieli.
Torino: Coppola (al 46' Morello), D'Ambrosio (al 46' Darmian), Di Cesare (al 46' Glik), Ogbonna (al 46' Pratali), Zavagno (al 46' Rubin), Vives (al 46' Basha), Iori (al 46' Zanetti), Stevanovic (al 40' Oduamadi, al 77' Chiosa), Bianchi (al 46' Verdi), Antenucci (al 46' Suciu), Sgrigna (al 46' Guberti). A disposizione: . All.: Ventura.
Arbitro: Fabrizio di Udine.
Marcatori: Antenucci 6', 16', 31', Sgrigna 22', Oduamadi 41', 59', 72', Verdi 46', 47', Suciu 74', rig., 82', Guberti 88'

Torino's second fixture was much more competitive as they faced Feltrese from the Eccellenza (Sixth Division) but again recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory, with Mirco Antenucci and Nnamdi Oduamadi continuing their fine form by again getting on the scoresheet, along with Simone Verdi.

FELTRESE PREALPI - TORINO 0-3 (0-1)
Feltrese Prealpi: Sgrò, Marin, Giazzon, Ferrara, Fin, Moretti, Da Riz, Strapazzon, Crestan, Argenta, Bressan. All.: Marchetti.
Torino: Coppola (al 46' Morello), Darmian (al 46' D'Ambrosio), Glik (al 70' Chiosa), Ogbonna (al 46' Pratali), Rubin (al 46' Zavagno), Vives (al 46' Oduamadi), Iori (al 46' Suciu), Verdi (al 46' Basha), Ebagua (al 70' Zanetti), Bianchi (al 46' Antenucci), Guberti (al 46' Sgrigna). A disposizione: - All.: Ventura.
Arbitro: Zancanaro di Treviso.
Marcatori: Verdi 34', Antenucci 76', Oduamadi 85'.

In their third fixture of the Ritiro, Torino faced a step up in quality, as they took on Taranto from the Lega Pro. Torino were made to fight hard in this match, but did eventually come out on top with a 2-1 victory. Rolando Bianchi, whose future at the club is still uncertain, opening the scoring with his first goal of the pre season campaign. Taranto equalised in the second half, but just seven minutes later, Torino regained the lead via Giulio Ebagua.

TARANTO - TORINO 1-2 (0-1)
Taranto: Bremec (al 46' Barasso), Sosa (al 46' Cutrupi), Di Bari (al 46' Giordano), Prosperi (al 46' Colombini), Antonazzo (al 46' Garufo), Di Deo (al 46' Giorgino), Vicedomini (al 46' Rizzi), Sabatino (al 46' Sciaudone), Russo (al 46' Rantier), Guazzo (al 46' Girardi), Chiaretti (al 46' Karvonen). All.: Dionigi.
Torino: Coppola (al 46' Gomis), D'Ambrosio (al 46' Darmian), Di Cesare (al 46' Glik), Ogbonna (al 46' Pratali), Zavagno (al 46' Rubin), Stevanovic (al 46' Oduamadi), Iori (al 46' Suciu), Vives, Guberti (al 46' Verdi), Bianchi (al 46' Sgrigna), Antenucci (al 46' Ebagua). All.: Ventura.
Arbitro: Aversano di Treviso.
Marcatori: Bianchi 36' (To), Girardi 72' (Ta), Ebagua 79' (To)

Torino's final game in the Dolomites was their toughest test as they played Serie A side Fiorentina, in a match that was broadcast live on Italian television. The first half was a disappointing spectacle (even by pre season standards) and the match was only livened up when a tackle by Guiseppe Vives almost sparked a not so 'friendly' brawl between the two sides. Torino improved in the second half, with substitute Nnamdi Oduamadi looking particularly impressive on the Left Wing, but the match ended 0-0.

Fiorentina: Boric (al 46' Neto), De Silvestri (al 46' Romulo), Natali (al 65' Nastasic), Gamberini, Pasqual (all'80' Piccini), Behrami (al 65' Salifu), Montolivo (all'80' Agyei), Munari (al 46' Lazzari), Cerci (al 65' Marchionni), Gilardino (al 46' Babacar), Jovetic (al 65' Ljajic). All.: Mihajlovic.
Torino: Coppola (al 46' Morello), Darmian (al 46' D'Ambrosio), Di Cesare (al 46' Glik), Ogbonna (al 46' Pratali), Zavagno (al 46' Rubin), Vives (al 65' Suciu), Iori (al 65' Zanetti), Stevanovic (al 46' Verdi), Antenucci (al 46' Sgrigna), Bianchi (al 46' Ebagua), Guberti (al 46' Oduamadi) All.: Ventura

Torino complete signings of 3 Milan Players

Whilst Torino's sporting director Gianluca Petrachi has often spoken this summer about having the bulk Torino's signings completed before they depart for their pre season training camp in Sappada on the 15th July, it was still somewhat surprising when late on Thursday night, Torino announced the purchases of three new players - all from AC Milan.

With Torino only having one experienced goalkeeper on their books (Davide Morello) the purchase of a new goalkeeper was one of their primary objectives in this transfer window. That search now looks to be over with the signing of Ferdinando Coppola who has joined on a season long loan deal from the current Serie A champions. Despite technically being an AC Milan player, Coppola has never actually played a competitive fixture for his parent club, with the Rossoneri preferring to loan the player out. Last season, Coppola was on loan at Siena as he helped them achieve promotion to Serie A, and Torino fans will be hoping that he can repeat that success with the Granata.

Torino's business with AC Milan did not end their however, as they also negotiated the purchases of two of Milan's younger prospects. Nigerian winger Nnamdi Oduamadi has also signed on loan, who despite only making one first team appearance for his parent club, has performed well for Milan's Primavera team, and at only twenty years of age has plenty of room for improvement.

Perhaps the most surprising of the three purchases would be the signing of 18 year old Simone Verdi on a co-ownership deal. Like Oduamadi, Verdi has been one of the standout players for Milan Primavera team and has also made appearances for the first team. At only 5ft 7 inches tall, aerial ability is certainly not one of Verdi's strengths, but according to this article on the Football Italia website his main attributes are his pace, technique and his work rate. Whilst he can play as a trequartista, one would expect that, when selected, Verdi will play as a winger in Giampiero Ventura's 4-4-2 system.

As part of the deal that has brought Simone Verdi to Torino, young Toro striker Gianmario Comi has gone to AC Milan, also on a co-ownership deal. Whilst Comi has been a regular scorer for the Primavera team, he has yet to breakthrough to the first team.

With just over two weeks until Torino depart for their pre season training camp in Sappada, Torino fans can expect many more signings, as coach Giampiero Ventura and Sporting Director Gianluca Petrachi attempt to create a squad that is capable of gaining promotion to Serie A. However, with the future of Angelo Ogbonna continuing to be in doubt, amidst rumours linking him with moves to Juventus, Roma, Arsenal, Manchester City and Milan, some Toro fans may just be happy if he is still a Torino player by the time they play their first pre season fixture.