[ad_1]
COMETA RACE: Jens Petter Hauge scored his fourth goal for AC Milan against Sparta Prague on Thursday. Photo: LaPresse / Sipa USA
“Slap in the face”, a football superpower transformed, the grip of the coach and a Swedish superstar. These are some of the keys to the success of Jens Petter Hauge.
That a young player was sold directly from little Bodø / Glimt to the huge AC Milan was in itself a unique event.
That this young player claimed what the Gazzetta dello Sport calls the great revelation of Italian football that same fall, makes the story even more fascinating.
It has been two years since Hauge, now 21, played for Aalesund’s second team and lost 0-1 to Sportsklubben Rollon. Sunday is relevant to his first match since the start in Serie A (home to Parma at 8.45pm) after four goals in 379 minutes of play for his new club.
How is it possible? VG has sought answers from Father Jan Ingvald Hauge, as well as various Italian and international experts with great knowledge of AC Milan and the surrounding environment, and eyes and ears within the Milanello training facility.
Hauge’s mindset
The first thing that highlights the profile of ESPN and Gazzetta dello Sport, Gabriele Marcotti, is what he calls Hauge’s “baggage.” So far the race hasn’t been a dance of roses for the dribble-happy winger. In August 2018, he was tired after four months without a match from the start for Bodø / Glimt. He was loaned out to Aalesund in the Obos league, but was also there as an unused reserve in eleven games.
He had to settle for matches for the second team. There were very few signs that he would become an international star.
– He has had blows to the face before. It has experienced recessions. You’ve already had to look in the mirror and ask tough questions. These experiences can be crucial. He has no stardom, but at the same time he is not afraid of anything. It’s a golden combination, says Marcotti.
– We do not entirely believe that he realizes where he is. He’s so cold, he’s like a robot, he’s fearless, he plays like a veteran, says Tuttosport journalist Pietro Mazzara.
– Jens Petter thrives in Italy and receives energy from all the attention, says Father Jan Ingvald Hauge.
Database exploration
When Milan signed Hauge just hours after devastating them in the Europa League, it could look like they were just jumping in and hitting a player they had just met.
That is not true at all.
– What is not reported is that he was followed for many, many months before that, explains the television profile James Horncastle, who writes and talks about Italian football for The Athletic, BT Sport and the BBC.
also read
Hauge six times the number of followers after the Milan match: – It boiled a bit
Milan, in fact, has revolutionized its recruitment in recent years. Two years ago, they brought in Geoffrey Moncada, the mastermind behind many ingenious transfers in Monaco, as head of scout to establish a global network and a whole new way of working.
They have quickly established one of the best-functioning scout networks in Europe, aided by innovative use of data analytics.
– They trust this much more than other more traditional clubs. Without this, Hauge would never have appeared on his radar this early. They followed him for a whole year before meeting him in the Europa League, says Marcotti.
He believes it was seen as “controversial” when Milan spent a whopping five million euros on a completely unknown little league player.
– People asked: How can you get a good player for that price? Do you only collect nameless players? Many are surprised by how fast he has struck, says Marcotti.
The transformation of Milan
The new methods of exploration are part of a total transformation of the old Italian greatness. AC Milan haven’t won league gold since 2011, and in 2018 the club had enough. After several failed attempts to restore greatness by hiring expensive star players, the course was turned when Elliott Management took over ownership of a Chinese consortium in 2018.
Marcotti sums up the new strategy: it’s about finding hidden treasures and getting away from veterans and big names with expensive contracts. During the first summer window with the new owners, Milan only signed players under the age of 26.
– Hauge represents the successful revolution, says Mazzara.
The new environment in Milan, where youngsters like Hauge, Rafael Leão, Alexis Saelemaekers, Brahim Díaz and Sandro Tonali flourish in harmony with ring foxes like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, means that everything is in place for Hauge to develop freely. He is an atypical Italian.
– It is usually the case in Serie A that older players run the dressing room. Young players must adapt to them. If a 19-year-old misses a long shot in the Netherlands, the fans will cheer and cheer him on, but in Italy the team’s veterans will scold them like idiots, Marcotti begins.
– But what has happened in Milan is that now young players are encouraged to take risks. Hauge is one of those who enjoys it, he says.
– In general, I think that the young and talented profile of AC Milan together with the experienced Scandinavian key players suits Jens Petter very well. I think he is very motivated to continue developing and that he knows how to work in the future to achieve his goals, says Jan Ingvald Hauge.
Zlatan Effects
Usually expectations and pressure can start to build around Hauge after the achievements early in his career in Milan. But there are several factors that help create calm around you:
They hired him for only five million euros.
There are much higher expectations in Sandro Tonali, 20, who is seen as the new Andrea Pirlo and can cost the club a total of 40 million euros.
The stands are empty.
And Milan have Zlatan Ibrahimovic. So the press mainly writes about him.
– In many ways, it protects Hauge very well, so that he can remain in peace and quiet while others carry the pressure on his shoulders, says Marcotti.
– This season’s story in Milan is about the pursuit of league gold and Zlatan’s goals. The Hauge and Europa League matches are just a side story. It’s been good for Hauge, says Horncastle.
Pietro Mazzara emphasizes the second Zlatan effect:
– Hauge trains every day with Zlatan. He lifts up all his teammates and demands that everyone be at his level in training and in games. It must be incredibly inspiring for a young gamer.
Pioli method
Coach Stefano Pioli has also played an important role in Hauge’s rapid success. The 55-year-old replaced Marco Giampaolo in the fall of last year.
The predecessor was fired within a few months and received much criticism for never changing his 4-4-2 formation with a “diamond midfield” despite the fact that most people thought the team had no players to fit in.
– This may seem banal, but Pioli is a coach who uses his players in their best positions. Understand where they have to play to express themselves better. So it’s much easier for new players to come in and act, says Horncastle.
For Hauge, goals have often come the same way: he dribbles from the left side and finishes off with his right foot.
– Pioli has done a great job with Hauge. It gives you a lot of freedom in attack and it won’t limit you, Mazzara says.
Marcotti nods appreciatively:
– Pioli’s message is: we like you because you are fast, you take risks and you are good at haggling. So keep it up!
