While the South American U20 championships are on, the focus naturally lies on the continent's elite talent. Clubs from all over Europe have sent their scouts to Ecuador. One player that is not involved in the tournament is Diego Coelho. Nevertheless, he is making a lot of noise during Nacional's preseason, having scored two goals already. What makes him one of the club's most promising talents?
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| Diego Coelho in training (Photo: ovaciondigital.com.uy). |
In Nacional's sheer endless pipeline of excellent young players, Diego Coelho is just one of six talents that received their shot at first team action in preseason. Along with the likes of Facundo Labandeira, Gabriel Neves, Guzmán Corujo, Thiago Vecino and Axel Müller, Coelho started training with Martín Lasarte's men on January 4.
The 22-year old Diego Coelho is a striker and owned family ties to the club before even playing his first friendly minutes. Father Walter Fabian played for Nacional from 1995 to 2005 and won six Primera División titles in the process. His son is still at the beginning of his own career, but his preseason form suggests at least raw talent. Diego produced two goals in as many games against Boston River and Montevideo Wanderers and left a good impression on Nacional's coaching staff that just welcomed Rodrigo Aguirre as a new striker option.
"I am happy to take the opportunity, trying to do what the coach asks me and to add to the team", Coelho explains. "They game me opportunities to convert and the most important thing is to show efficiency in front of the net. I have the ability to face the play and help in the build-up, but also to take advantage of any ball that is in the area."
Diego Coelho's strengths are indeed quickly discovered: a big body paired with the ability to make good runs, quick pivots and most importantly a nose for the goal. Playing in the third Uruguayan division, he was able to showcase those skills on a regular basis in Nacional's second team. Even though Lasarte knows that the player still needs time and should not be rushed into top tier football too soon, he is also aware of the athlete he has in the club already. The coach underlines: "With these guys [Coelho and the other five] one has to be very careful and even more so at Nacional. In case it does not work out for them, it can generate a lot of frustration in the player and that is what we desire the least."
Nacional's training coordinator, Sebastián Taramasco, was interviewed regarding the talent in the club's youth team: "We start from the fact that all coaches are in permanent contact with us and the management. This includes watching trainings, matches or having talks with one another. We spoke with Martín [Lasarte] about this preseason and reached the result of adding these six players to the first team."
Whether Diego Coelho receives much playing time during the Clausura is rather doubtful with Hugo Silveira and Rodrigo Aguirre ahead of him. One thing remains certain: The striker is definitely one to watch in the future, whether it will be at Nacional or another club.
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