The Kitchen Champion Division has been used as a nursery for national and international talents for decades and this season too, many football players with potential are walking around on the second level. Voetbalzone, the official media partner of the Kitchen Champion Division, highlights one of these talents every week, this time focusing on Yusuf Barasi, the international for Young Turkey in the service of AZ.
By Chris Meijer
A few days before the match between AZ and Fortuna Sittard, Yusuf Barasi (18) fantasizes aloud. Does he have to stand on his own at some point to attract the attention of trainer Pascal Jansen? “Maybe,” Barasi grins. “No, we’ll see. I hope I can make minutes.” That hope eventually came true, as Barasi was brought in to replace Vangelis Pavlidis four minutes before the end, making his Eredivisie debut. These were the first minutes in AZ’s first team since its official debut, last season in the Europa League match with HNK Rijeka. “My debut was a beautiful moment, it felt like a reward. I had a good start at Jong AZ. Yes, you hope for more after that. It’s never enough, you know?”
Barasi came in again last weekend as a substitute during the game against Sparta Rotterdam and has therefore played sixteen minutes in the main squad of AZ, spread over three games.
But Barasi is realistic: his last season was hit and miss. He had to deal with injuries on several occasions. Because in his words he wasn’t physically strong enough yet. Or just bad luck. For example, he had to leave the training camp with the main force of AZ during the preparation for this season with an injury. “That was actually kind of my chance to show it. I had started pretty well in the first few days, but I got injured and had to recover after that,” sighs Barasi. But since the start of the season, he remains free of injuries for the time being. “I think it’s going much better. If I play a game now, I feel okay afterwards. Last year I had a hard time training a day after the race. That’s no problem now. I want to continue that upward trend and then we’ll see.” The most tangible proof of that upward trend in the first half of the season was the beautiful goal against Roda JC Kerkrade, three weeks ago.
So far this year, Barasi has been a basic player at Jong AZ, as a striker, right or left winger. “I am very goal-oriented. I can put someone in front of the goal, give assists, score goals and make actions. I am dangerous in the small space. Yes that is it. I’m just deadly.” It certainly sounds like the job description of a striker. “Yes, actually,” Barasi responds. “I prefer to play as a striker or left winger, that’s where I get the most out of my strength. Sometimes I am put on the right or on the attacking midfielder. Any good player should be able to play anywhere. So if I’m put there, I accept it and have to show it. It is also an advantage that you can play in multiple positions.”
“I think I can get even stronger, so I can make a difference even better. I do notice that around the seventieth or eightieth minute the tank sometimes empties a bit, while the match can be decided in that phase. If I can keep that up better, I could become even more dangerous. I can still take steps physically,” continues Barasi, who has been playing in the AZ youth academy since he was eleven. It’s what he still thinks he needs to really make the step towards the first team. He was already in the match selection four times – also during the Conference League match with Randers and the league match against Sparta Rotterdam, in which he participated for twelve minutes as a substitute – but in the past eighteen months he has also regularly trained with the main force. “If I was in good physical shape, I would train more often. Just, sure. I am now building up and I think they are looking to see if I can train or play with the former more often. Then I have to show myself there.”
Does he experience the step from Jong AZ to the first team as big? “I really wouldn’t know, actually,” Barasi replies. “You have better players around you who understand the game better. Maybe that makes it a little easier. On the other hand, of course, more is required of you. I don’t really have a problem with that. Of course it is heavier, but you have to get used to it. I think I can play football. I’m really ready for a real shot at the first. It is also possible, I think.” Barasi has won that chance in the Kitchen Champion Division, in which he has already played 36 games (24 starting places, 10 goals, 4 assists). “There is a big difference between the Kitchen Champion Division and youth football. It’s more masculine, so that’s good for your development. I now play a role at Jong AZ, I have to try to be important to the team and show my qualities.”
Barasi – who is fighting a duel with Liam van Gelderen of Jong Ajax in the photo – shuttled between the bench and the base at Jong AZ last season, but is generally always at the kick-off in this year. He has scored five goals and an assist in 15 appearances this season.
In that respect, the international matches with Young Turkey are also valuable experiences in the development of Barasi. Born in Alkmaarder, he played for the Under 15, Under 16 and Under 17 of the the Dutch squad, but made the switch to Turkey more than a year ago. “When Turkey came, the choice was quite easy. I also looked at the perspective. And I mean get to the A-squad as soon as possible. I think this can be done easier and faster with Turkey than with the Dutch. It’s also my homeland, it’s always nice to play for Turkey, a real honour.” He now has five caps for Young Turkey to his name. “It was difficult in the beginning, I had to get used to it. Now I really feel at home, I get on well with everyone.”
“You have players from Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Besiktas, just guys who play in the base at those top clubs. That’s great, you have to compete with them. There are other things to ask. At AZ we work a lot with tactics, but there you also learn the other side. Dueling, lots of walking: the physical part. The style of football is different, so it makes you more versatile as a player.” As a youth international, his name is widely circulated in Turkey. Not only on social media (‘Turks are fanatic, you notice that there’), but also in the media. For example, the name of Barasi has already been associated with Galatasaray and Besiktas. “I did hear it. I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve read it too. It could be, I’m not really working on it. Those are clubs you dream of, right? It’s a childhood dream, but I’m not really thinking about it right now.”
For the time being, Barasi is in possession of an expiring contract at AZ. “I’m not busy with my contract, I want to play football and make minutes. I’ll leave the rest to my agent and father, they’re working on it. Sometimes I ask how things are going, but otherwise I don’t interfere. I have to show myself as much as possible in Jong AZ and maybe I will eventually secretly get more and more minutes in the first. If you do your thing, no one can get around you,” it sounds determined. Behind Pavlidis, the AZ selection does not actually contain a second striker, as Jelle Duin recently underwent surgery and has been out of circulation for a long time. Barasi concludes with a smile: “Maybe that’s why I’m involved in the first one, that’s possible. I’m realistic: you have to be ready to make minutes there. I think I’m on the right track now.”
Name: Yusuf Barasi
Date of birth: March 31, 2003
Club: (Young) AZ
Position: attacker
Strengths: targeting, technique, speed
Voetbalzone is the official media partner of the Kitchen Champion Division
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