Giosue Bellagambi on his first season as a Huddersfield Town player
- Giosue Bellagambi on leaving London and becoming independent
- Young Terrier details the step up from grassroots football
- U17s in action against Leeds United on Friday 10 May 2019; 2pm kick-off
Huddersfield Town Under-17s goalkeeper Giosue Bellagambi has settled in well since moving up north from London and feels that he is developing more and more as a player and as a person with each passing day.
The youngster initially joined Town on trial during 2018 before signing with the Club as a scholar ahead of the 2018/19 season from junior club Lambeth Tigers.
Bellagambi, who was born in Croydon, admits that it was a big challenge for him to move up to West Yorkshire but that it is a challenge that felt he was ready for.
“It was a big change for me, I liked the test to go and live by myself and I felt good going into it.
“I’ve enjoyed it so far, in particularly being independent, and it’s all been positive really.
“Usually my parents would wake me up and now I have to do it myself, which was a bit hard but eventually I’ve got into a routine and that’s the main thing.”
The 17-year-old has fitted in well with the fellow youngsters at the Club and Bellagambi acknowledges that coming on trial last season has really benefitted him in that respect.
“I came on trial at the back end of last season, so I got to meet the boys who were already here and who had been signed for a while.
“It was good to know them because when I came in they already knew me, so it was a good environment for me.
“Then when the other London boys came in, I’d already played with a couple of them at grassroots level, so I already had a good relationship with all of them from the beginning.
“That relationship has then continued throughout the whole season, so I’ve only got positive words for them.”
A big change for Bellagambi when he joined the Club was the step up in training, but he feels that the rise in intensity is preparing him well for when he goes and trains with the First Team.
“The training here is very intense which is good, especially when I sometimes go up to the First Team with Clem (Paul Clements).
“It really helps me a lot with the tempo and the intensity and I feel like I’ve improved a lot during this season, as I was at grassroots for almost all of my career until I came here.
“My goalkeeping coach in the Academy, Benno (Neil Bennett), is helping my technique a lot, so I feel like I’ve improved a lot technically and tactically throughout the season.”
Bellagambi has made 31 appearances for the Under-17s this season and the young goalkeeper describes the last 10 months as a big learning curve for him.
“This season has involved a lot of learning, there’s been games where I’ve played well and there’s also been games where I’ve not played as well.
“I’ve made a few mistakes, but I’ve learned from them and I think that’s the best thing as I can now go into the next season confident and knowing what I need to do.
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot both as a player and as a person.”
Bellagambi and Town’s Under-17s are back in action on Friday 10 May 2019.
The Young Terriers will face Leeds United in a behind-closed-doors game at PPG Canalside in a 2pm kick-off.
