The Thursday Interview: Franco di Santo

[EskWeston 696]

Just over two months and eight games after he played his first competitive game at Chelsea, Franco Di Santo has completed the reserve team's league season as our top scorer.

As acclimatisation to a new country goes, especially when swapping continents is involved, his start in England has been a smooth one.

The Argentine centre-forward, who turned 19 earlier this month, netted seven goals in those eight reserve games. They were strikes of a healthy variety too.

He demonstrated coolness from the penalty spot by netting two spot kicks in a hat-trick against Tottenham's reserves. In the same game he dispatched an outstanding volley into the top corner after controlling a cross.

Away at Arsenal there was an equaliser from a tight angle and in the final game on Monday versus Aston Villa, it was pure opportunism as he pounced on a defensive slip to head home.

Starting the run had been a goal on his debut against Fulham, a scrappy effort to say the least, but a great nerve-settler. It hasn't only been goals that have helped Franco find his feet in England. His industrious nature impressed and was suited to the requirements of the English reserve team game.

An improvement in results corresponded with his introduction as well. For so long without a genuine centre forward, especially after Ben Sahar was loaned out, a run of 11 games without a win for the reserves has turned around to six games undefeated.

There may be no more competitive games for our second string this season but the holidays are still a little way off. After a long training session under the watch of reserve team manager Brendan Rodgers and then an additional hour in the gym, Franco spoke to chelseafc.com about life since his move across the Atlantic.

Having played for your former club in the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League, how has Premier Reserve League football compared with what you were used to?

'There are similarities but here it is a quicker game and is much more physical with a lot more tackling. It gave me good experience playing in the premier competition in South America and it can only be of benefit to me playing over here.

'I am very happy with my start, scoring seven goals in eight games, and I hope I can continue in that vein.'

Your work-rate and your height at 6ft 3in appear to make you well-suited to English football.

'I have always been taller than people my age and when I went to play in Chile, I was always one of the tallest players in the league. But now I have come here, I am just one of many tall players.

'It doesn't matter where I am, I will train to the maximum so that it will reflect in my matches. I have noticed in the matches here there is a high tempo and you have to fight. I am the first defender and I have to make the life hard for the opposing defenders.'

The late equaliser on your debut against Fulham Reserves certainly won't go down as your best goal but it must have been good to get off the mark straight away, particularly with Roman Abramovich and Avram Grant watching from the stands.

'I am not sure quite how that went in! It went under people, through people but it doesn't matter. I enjoyed it but to be honest, I don't care how they go in.'

You say that but you must be proud of the fantastic volley in your hat-trick against Spurs Reserves.

'To this day it is the best goal I have scored but I hope it won't prove to always be the best.'

Tell us a little about your home town of Mendoza and how you ended up crossing the Andes to play in Chile at Audax Italiano.

'It is a fairly small city but they love their football there. They had a team that was in the first division but went down to the second division and at the moment are fighting to get back up. The most famous player from that area was Luqué who played for the Argentina national team when they won the World Cup back in 1978.

'I went along to a couple of clubs in Argentina but I also had the opportunity to go to Chile and it is just the way it worked out. It was the right time and the right place; they were the ones to show the most interest at that time and I am very grateful to Chilean football.'

A lot of young South American players choose Spain or Portugal to start careers in European football.

'There were possibilities to go to the latin countries but the football I always enjoyed watching most was the English football and I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to come. I used to enjoy watching Hernáand Crespo when he was at Chelsea.'

Argentina in recent years has produced many players capable of playing in the best leagues. Can you explain this success?

'In Argentina, football is not so much a sport, it is more of a life and everyone is being told to be a footballer all the time from a very young age. Secondly there is very good coaching at the younger ages and football has almost a monopoly of things to do. You can't do much else.'

When training at Chelsea ends, will you be busy this summer?

There are the Olympics and if I am lucky enough to get picked then all well and good - but if not, I will just rest and look to push on from there next season.'

Source: Chelsea FC

[Badboy 1,526]

What type of player is he esk ?

[DavidEU 2,023]

He looks a really good talent to me, and seems to be determined to do well. Paul Clement and Neil Bath have stressed several times over Chelsea TV that he is fitting into the dressing room really well, and although doesnt speak much English, is 'one of the lads'.

As a player, I think his attitude seems superb. He's very hard working and seems always on the move. Hasnt got superb pace, but is tall and strong and evidently knows where the goal is. Unlike Crouch, he's good in the air with his height and although he missed a sitter Monday night - he's a good finisher.

Would love to see him given a fair share of games in the Carling/FA Cups next year, and towards the end of the season perhaps in the league and CL against top class opposition, and playing alongside Drogba/Anelka and getting the quality service from Ballack and Lampard etc.

Still not 100% sure on him. Could be great, could be a flop.

(And Esk: Titles in Lower case please mate )

[EskWeston 696]

He looks a really good talent to me, and seems to be determined to do well. Paul Clement and Neil Bath have stressed several times over Chelsea TV that he is fitting into the dressing room really well, and although doesnt speak much English, is 'one of the lads'.

As a player, I think his attitude seems superb. He's very hard working and seems always on the move. Hasnt got superb pace, but is tall and strong and evidently knows where the goal is. Unlike Crouch, he's good in the air with his height and although he missed a sitter Monday night - he's a good finisher.

Would love to see him given a fair share of games in the Carling/FA Cups next year, and towards the end of the season perhaps in the league and CL against top class opposition, and playing alongside Drogba/Anelka and getting the quality service from Ballack and Lampard etc.

Still not 100% sure on him. Could be great, could be a flop.

(And Esk: Titles in Lower case please mate )

Lol, sorry. Copy and paste from the Chelsea site usually works OK!!!

I think Di Santo is a fantastic prospect, and i have would have no worries whatsoever of putting him straight into the first team next season. He is hard working and will run for the whole game, chasing down balls and running into spaces. He doesn't mind a physical battle either. He has great skill on the ball with the abilty to beat his man. He does look like he has a decent bit of pace too, one goal (can't remember who against now) he was behind the defnder and looked like having no chance to win in, he burned past him and rifled home!!

I don't think that he is going to be a flop at all, the only question for me is just how good can he become? I like the look of him a lot and want to see him playing first team football next season...

[bombayblue™ 55]

A lot of young South American players choose Spain or Portugal to start careers in European football.

'There were possibilities to go to the latin countries but the football I always enjoyed watching most was the English football and I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to come. I used to enjoy watching Hernáand Crespo when he was at Chelsea.'

as the premiership is becoming a lot more publicised and 'commercialised', it could be the reason a lot of south american players start heading over here..

the only advantage the spanish and portuguese leagues hold is they somehow get an ancestor, for every other player, who used to reside in spain or portugal and hence end up giving them spanish or portuguese passports..

[EskWeston 696]

as the premiership is becoming a lot more publicised and 'commercialised', it could be the reason a lot of south american players start heading over here..

the only advantage the spanish and portuguese leagues hold is they somehow get an ancestor, for every other player, who used to reside in spain or portugal and hence end up giving them spanish or portuguese passports..

Our work permit laws are the main issue with regards to South American players, particulary youngsters. If Di Santo didn't have an Italian passport then i don't think we would have been allowed to sign him.........

[Elliott 7]

as the premiership is becoming a lot more publicised and 'commercialised', it could be the reason a lot of south american players start heading over here..

the only advantage the spanish and portuguese leagues hold is they somehow get an ancestor, for every other player, who used to reside in spain or portugal and hence end up giving them spanish or portuguese passports..

That's not necessarily why they go there, also consider that they speak the same language or very similar. It's mainly the work permit thing, British clubs can't sign unknown non-EU players, the players that have Spanish, Portuguese or Italian passports are the ones that we CAN sign!