September 24, 2014 League 1 Ontario--Player of the Week September 15-22 Julian Uccello (from League 1 Ontario website)

  
Player of the Week (Sept 15 - 22) - Julian Uccello
. Wed Sep 24 
Written By: Staff, League1  

Woodbridge Strikers' forward Julian Uccello has certainly made an impression as a confident 
finisher and a leader on the pitch during this League1 season, not least as he led his side 
in a comeback against Toronto FC Academy on September 17th, and then in his two goal 
match vs. Azzurri on September 21st.  

“These were two tough matches, especially against the quality in the rosters of TFCA 
and Vaughan,” said Uccello. “We wanted TFCA to have to work for the win, and our team 
was very disciplined in our approach to that gameplan. With them having a younger squad, 
and perhaps less experience than we have, we really wanted to focus on beating them 
on the field. When you have a younger squad as opponents, you have to basically show 
them who is boss on the field. At the end of the day, it was a tough and at times chippy 
match, but I think the draw was a fair result.”

“When we went to Vaughan, it was with the same perspective. We have always had a rivalry 
with Vaughan, and to come out with a win was a better result because of the rivalry. 
It was definitely fun to play in it, and it reminded me of when I was a kid and we used 
to have those local derbies – it was a war on the field. It's a strong rivalry, like 
any local derby, and it will exist as long as there is Ontario soccer. A lot of people 
don't understand how important some of these rivalries are to the players, coaches, clubs.”  

Of course, for those that know his playing history, Uccello's experience with big local 
derbies goes as far as the highest level in the game. 

A Woodbridge product, Uccello had the hunger to play professionally from a young age, 
but few Canadian players could dream of playing where Uccello went. Given the 
opportunity to trial professionally in Italy after being seen by a Lazio coach at the 
Woodbridge showcase, Uccello went overseas at sixteen. He ended up being there for 
eleven years.

“I went to Italy but Lazio wasn't in training at that time of year, so I was sent 
to AC Milan for training, and after the second day there AC Milan signed me,” recalled 
Uccello. “I was signed on a three year contract, and after the first year with the youth 
squad I was sent on loan to fourth division club AC Sansovino, where I was the top 
goalscorer in the division. After that, I was bought by Serie B team FC Crotone and 
put on loan to another third division team, [Bellaria] where I played for a year. 
I then went back to the Serie B club FC Crotone, and went on loan again before finally 
being signed for three years at FC Crotone.”

“It was a very typical experience of big clubs buying you and putting you on loan 
to learn, get your minutes in, and get used to the level of play,” said Uccello. “Until 
that one day came at FC Crotone after the pre-season, when they said we're keeping you 
here in the Serie B, and that was it. Everything was perfect.”

Returning to Canada a year and half ago, Uccello is pursuing another of his childhood 
dreams – playing professionally in his hometown with TFC. Younger brothers, Luca and 
Michael, are already TFCA players.

“Getting in with Toronto FC is my main goal,” he reveals. “It's my hometown, I've always 
wanted to play here, and especially while playing in Europe I always hoped I would get 
that shot with the first team. Until then, League1 is the highest level in this 
province, and I will play here and for Woodbridge to show what I can do. I've reached 
the second highest level in Europe and I'm not going to stop. Why would I?”

As a full-fledged professional for many years in Italy, Uccello knows well the 
sacrifices players, coaches and clubs make in the pursuit of their dreams, and points 
to personal focus as the one attribute he would recommend to others.   

“When I was young, I treated soccer as my life. I had the will, and the heart, to train 
for it every day. In regards to my brothers at TFCA, I do it and did it all for them. 
There's not two people more in this world that I wish the most happiness for in this 
sport, because some of the great things I have experienced I know now they will 
experience as well. They are becoming top prospects for TFC, and that makes me happy, 
as well as knowing that I gave them the hope that it can be done.”

“There are a lot of players that think it can't be done," concluded Uccello, "but 
if you put your mindset to something - anything in this world can be done. The mind 
is truly the most powerful thing."

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