PantherPower83
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How a Sydney kid made cut at one of the greatest clubs
February 4, 2007
NEVER heard of Dean Bouzanis? Well, we all might get to know the 16-year-old from Sydney very well over the next few years if Premier League giants Liverpool have a say.
One of the game's biggest clubs rates the year 11 student from De La Salle College at Cronulla the best goalkeeper of his age in the world.
Bouzanis so impressed Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez during a trial last month that he was offered a three-year deal. The goalkeeper will skip the Premier League club's famed youth academy and link directly with the senior squad in 2008.
"It is a massive call, but Dean was doing so well so that I was getting my way with everything," agent Terry Palapanis said. "He was absolutely outstanding."
The financial terms of the deal are undisclosed but Palapanis said the offer was unprecedented.
"For a 16-year-old goalkeeper who will effectively not play for the first team yet, this is a deal that is worth a lot of money," he said.
"The money is really good. Dean's father is a solicitor and even he is amazed at what we negotiated."
The Liverpool deal means Bouzanis will finish year 11 and spend the first part of the 2007-08 A-League season with Sydney FC before heading to England in January. It's a teenage dream that the young goalkeeper admits he is finding difficult to comprehend.
"It is unbelievable," he said. "I am a bit overwhelmed but I have to keep working hard because I have a big challenge ahead of me."
Bouzanis spent three weeks at Liverpool's Melwood headquarters in January with the first-team squad.
Stars such as Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Xavi Alonso became familiar faces for Bouzanis.
"I got to train with the first-grade players and mingle with them and see what life is like for a professional footballer," he said. "They were all friendly. Rafael Benitez was nice and I met Steven Gerrard."
Liverpool captain Gerrard took time to speak with the Australian and welcome him to the club.
"He came up and asked if I was the triallist from Australia and how I was finding it," Bouzanis said. "He asked if I was happy with everything and said that if I needed anything, to give him a buzz. He is a top guy."
Bouzanis also watched Harry Kewell training with the first team.
"He was doing a lot of rehab, though, so I didn't really get to speak to him," he said.
In a unique deal, the English club will effectively lend Bouzanis to Sydney FC for a season. He will be a reserve to goalkeeper Clint Bolton.
Coincidentally, Dean's father Peter owned the rights to the Sydney FC name before the A-League kicked off.
Bouzanis played seniors for State League side St George at 14 before joining the NSW Institute of Sport. He was called up for the Joeys, Australia's under-17 team, at 15.
"I never knew it would become this big," he said of his Liverpool contract.
"I have just started year 11 and I'm going to finish school but there is talk that maybe I will fast-track this year. My parents are OK with it."
Palapanis believes Bouzanis will make the most of his opportunity.
"There were 22 clubs from Europe chasing him," he said. "Charlton made a good offer and so did Tottenham but we chose Liverpool."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football...-greatest-clubs/2007/02/03/1169919584241.html
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Nice to see a fellow Sydneysider and La Sallian kid given a great opportunity.
February 4, 2007
NEVER heard of Dean Bouzanis? Well, we all might get to know the 16-year-old from Sydney very well over the next few years if Premier League giants Liverpool have a say.
One of the game's biggest clubs rates the year 11 student from De La Salle College at Cronulla the best goalkeeper of his age in the world.
Bouzanis so impressed Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez during a trial last month that he was offered a three-year deal. The goalkeeper will skip the Premier League club's famed youth academy and link directly with the senior squad in 2008.
"It is a massive call, but Dean was doing so well so that I was getting my way with everything," agent Terry Palapanis said. "He was absolutely outstanding."
The financial terms of the deal are undisclosed but Palapanis said the offer was unprecedented.
"For a 16-year-old goalkeeper who will effectively not play for the first team yet, this is a deal that is worth a lot of money," he said.
"The money is really good. Dean's father is a solicitor and even he is amazed at what we negotiated."
The Liverpool deal means Bouzanis will finish year 11 and spend the first part of the 2007-08 A-League season with Sydney FC before heading to England in January. It's a teenage dream that the young goalkeeper admits he is finding difficult to comprehend.
"It is unbelievable," he said. "I am a bit overwhelmed but I have to keep working hard because I have a big challenge ahead of me."
Bouzanis spent three weeks at Liverpool's Melwood headquarters in January with the first-team squad.
Stars such as Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Xavi Alonso became familiar faces for Bouzanis.
"I got to train with the first-grade players and mingle with them and see what life is like for a professional footballer," he said. "They were all friendly. Rafael Benitez was nice and I met Steven Gerrard."
Liverpool captain Gerrard took time to speak with the Australian and welcome him to the club.
"He came up and asked if I was the triallist from Australia and how I was finding it," Bouzanis said. "He asked if I was happy with everything and said that if I needed anything, to give him a buzz. He is a top guy."
Bouzanis also watched Harry Kewell training with the first team.
"He was doing a lot of rehab, though, so I didn't really get to speak to him," he said.
In a unique deal, the English club will effectively lend Bouzanis to Sydney FC for a season. He will be a reserve to goalkeeper Clint Bolton.
Coincidentally, Dean's father Peter owned the rights to the Sydney FC name before the A-League kicked off.
Bouzanis played seniors for State League side St George at 14 before joining the NSW Institute of Sport. He was called up for the Joeys, Australia's under-17 team, at 15.
"I never knew it would become this big," he said of his Liverpool contract.
"I have just started year 11 and I'm going to finish school but there is talk that maybe I will fast-track this year. My parents are OK with it."
Palapanis believes Bouzanis will make the most of his opportunity.
"There were 22 clubs from Europe chasing him," he said. "Charlton made a good offer and so did Tottenham but we chose Liverpool."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football...-greatest-clubs/2007/02/03/1169919584241.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nice to see a fellow Sydneysider and La Sallian kid given a great opportunity.
