Guy Assulin: Future Talisman?

Ozzy Neav

Small nations are often forced to wait patiently for a football messiah. Romania waited for Georghe Hagi, Finland waited for Jari Litmanen, Denmark waited for the Laudrup brothers, and now Israel’s wait may be over with the arrival of Guy Assulin.

Some of us were born to play football. One day, scientists will discover the correct genetic makeup to create the ultimate footballer. Until that day comes however, we hope and pray that those lucky individuals who inherit the great football gene will dazzle us with their technique and astound us with their almost magical, non-human ability. One such magician is currently climbing the ranks of the Barcelona youth system and his name is Guy Assulin.

Born in Nahariya, Israel, Assulin joined youth team Beitar Tubruk at the tender age of 12. Assulin quickly impressed spectators and coaches alike with his fantastic dribble and incredible speed. Schlomo Scharf, former boss of the Israeli national side, was so mesmerized by Assulin’s skills that he recommended a try out with Barcelona. Assulin made a good impression on Barcelona youth coaches and the wonder kid was quickly signed. In August 2007, Assulin was offered a senior contract and has since displayed his skills at FC Barcelona B. He made his professional debut on September 5 against Girona FC in the semi-final of the Copa Catalunya.

All the superlatives aside, it would only be appropriate to evaluate Assulin in several years time, when he truly has the proper stage to showcase his skills. Nevertheless, this is a player profile and no profile can be complete without a technical report card of a player’s strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

Assulin is an exceptional ball handler, but his greatest asset is his blazing speed. He is often able to beat defenders by manoeuvering into open areas of the pitch where he can use freedom of movement to his advantage. Assulin is tailor-made for the attacking midfielder position. He has fantastic field vision and is adept at finding open strikers and exercising through balls. Assulin is also blessed with an accurate shot and a decent header. As far as attack is concerned, he is the pinnacle of youth ability in Europe.

Weaknesses

Standing only a feather above 170 cm, Assulin is more than a bit on the small side. The lack of size and physical strength may not be an excessive hindrance in the La Liga, where skill is still more important than power, but Barcelona are a permanent fixture in the Champions League and there, size may become more of an issue. The only other glaring weakness is perhaps stereotypical, but worth mentioning. Israelis do not have a proven track record in European adaptability. Too often, Israelis with gluttony of talent have failed in their European ambitions because they were unable to adjust their mentality and behaviour in a foreign country. Now, Assulin has been in Spain for several years, so this problem may not apply to him, yet we will all be watching closely to see if he is able to navigate media pitfalls and sometimes overdemanding supporters.

Final Verdict

The flag carrier of future Israeli Football will probably be Chelsea striker Ben Sahar, but Guy Assulin might very well be the most important Israeli player over the next decade. Assulin’s young age of 16 might indicate premature optimism, but dammit, we Israelis can’t help ourselves. This is the player we’ve been waiting for. A player who can open a defence, who can create out of nothing and most importantly, change a game with one flick of his boot. He can be Israeli’s Totti, Zidane or Litmanen. If Assulin is given time to blossom and Ben Sahar develops into the Shevchenko like striker he can become, then only one question will remain: Will Israel play in Poland or the Ukraine?

A clip of Guy Assulin in action: