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TV7 Visits Amine Chermiti

February 26th, 2008 | By: Rami | 15 Comments »

Below is a video where we get to learn more about Amine Chermiti. I’m a sucker for anything that gives you an alternate look into the life of a sports figure so I had to share this. Some of these can be pretty formulaic but as far as I’m concerned the formula works! The segment aired on Dimanche Sport in honor of his being awarded the title of Best Tunisian Footballer for 2007 and best Champions League Player for last season.

Not too much game tape or training footage in this one (although we do get to see him partaking in a kick around outside his house) but its still fun to hear what him, his family, and his friends have to say about what he was like growing up. Highlights include him returning to his high school, paying a visit to his parents house in Kairouan, and playing some Pro Evo with his best friend and flatmate in his Sousse apartment.

Someone had mentioned to me before that he actually got his Baccalaureate and that’s confirmed here too (props to him on that, it’s not easy in Tunisia). It’s great for him to be getting this attention but an even greater thing is that we can tell from the interview that he’s resolved not to let it go to his head. Nevertheless, the sending off he received in the super cup (after a great performance) should serve as a reminder that he still has some of maturing to do. His aggression is welcome but he’s gonna have to learn to control it a bit more and channel it in the right direction. Remember that it was a completely unnecessary suspension that deprived us of his services for the first two games of the African Cup in Ghana. We don’t want that to become a trend.

There are some claims coming from various defenders and goalkeepers in the Tunisian league that he’s got a dirty mouth and is all about provocation but if that’s the case he won’t be the first (or last) player to be accused of this. We can’t know exactly what goes on between him and those trying to impede his goalscoring but I think it’s just gamesmanship on his part. He even confirmed this in a live phone call to Dimanche Sport to respond to what the CSS goalkeeper said about him after the match.

It must be noted though that the cameras did catch the CSS goalkeeper, Lotfi Saidi shoving and then spitting on Chermiti. Somehow at the end of the altercation it was Chermiti that got the yellow (harsh decision). Later in the game lip readers like myself could see the profanities flowing from the goalies mouth. In any case, I personally don’t see Chermiti’s word choices as a big issue because he has one main quality that we’ve lacked in the national team: Fearlessness. With time he’ll learn when is a good time to argue and when its a good time to let things slide but the key for us is that no one tries to tame him. I’m sure someone with his off field temperament analyzes his performances and understands that his main asset should not become his main weakness.

Europe beckons but for now we get to enjoy him some more. Rennes is said to have sent scouts to the Super Cup that came away impressed. That’s fine, but I’m still crossing my fingers that he takes Huntelaars vacant spot in Ajax next season. Talk about a match made in heaven.

Keep it up Amine, we expect a lot from you!

Amine Chermiti
Uploaded by tunisiano32

Tags: Group H

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Comments

By Danielle | February 27th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

Thanks for this clip!!

Posted from United States

By Rami | February 27th, 2008 at 3:10 pm

No problem Danielle! I’m all about giving your husband’s cousin plenty of shine! That is if you’re the Danielle that commented on a previous Chermiti post, hehe. Not to be a downer but the kid left todays game with a laceration near his eye. I haven’t seen what happened and there’s no specifics but I heard it on Mosaique fm. He had to leave the game early and get stitches. I know he wont be too happy about that but the good news is that it’s not an injury which is expected to keep him sidelined for the upcoming Sahel derby.

Posted from United States

By Bassem | February 27th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

I hope Amine is open to talk to Ajax especialy now Van Basten is going to be head coach next season en Johan Cruijf as Intrim Tecnical Director at Ajax Amsterdam.

Huntelaar is going to move to Juventus, thats te most interested club at the moment, Ajax needs to sell to keep there stocks up and need to buy talents and earn money later on selling these players to clubs like Barcelona, Arsenal, AC Milan, Intermilan etc etc etc, Young good talents like Amine. The Ajax school is famous over the whole world and is as Amine says a club were he can learn plenty.

I hope he makes the good decision and don’t settle voor less then clubs like these. Also to be no test drive like trabelsi came to Ajax, first a month on trail and then contract negotiations, no way direct contract offer or blead like you blead when Ajax let Cambiasso slip trough there fingers 10 years a go how now play’s for Real Madrid.

Posted from Netherlands

By Danielle | February 28th, 2008 at 10:14 am

Yes, it is me….Mrs. Chermiti! hahahahaa.
My husband LOVED the clip. He is also from Kairouan and was happy with the glipses of his hometown.
I didn’t hear about the injury…where do you watch the games? On a website?

Posted from United States

By Rami | February 28th, 2008 at 10:42 am

Glad your husband enjoyed the video. Always fun to see something close to your heart on TV. As for the injury, I heard about it on Tunisian radio (mosaiquefm.net). I didn’t see it live but he somehow got kicked near his eye and needed to get stitches to close up the cut. Nothing to be too worried about though as it’s not expected to keep him sidelined (except for todays training session). I mostly watch games using Sopcast (easily downloadable software) and tuning into the channel called Kooora Tounsia. They don’t show everything but it’s a pretty good resource.

Bassem, I’m with you on the Ajax situation. I saw you linked the Ajax forums as your website, do you go to it a lot? Just wondering if you could tell us whether Ajax fans have a sense for who Chermiti is and whether they’d like to see him in their jersey. Thanks!

By Moni | February 28th, 2008 at 12:33 pm

Most of the Dutch people don’t no nothing about football in Africa ore Tunisia, the most of them think that Tunisia is a desert land with camels.
They compare them selfs with the top leagues in the world, and pay only atention to Englisch premier league and Spanisch (because of Van Persie , Van Nistelrooi, Drenthe, Robben etc)
They Hate Italian League, because of the style of play, exceptions for AC Milan and Juve.
Dutch media don’t pay attention to the Africa Nations Cup. They know countries like Nigeria and South-Africa and off cours Cote Ivory, but they don’t know nothing about Club Football in Africa ore other teams, the “surprising” Egypt,Angola,Cote Ivory for the last years.
Not Noing that cote Ivory team is almost whole the ASEC Abidjan selection ,decastel has worked here also.
For Ajax ?? Ajax love to sign players, only because of there names, if you are europian and from spain ore italie, they pay easy 8 ore 9 Miljoen Euros, Like they payed for Charisteas. Signing players like Gabri and Roger, Luque B-rated players in there own countries. They would sit on the bench whole the time. But Ajax dont care , because they have stylish names.
If you are from Africa then you have to be happy that you have the honour to play for Ajax !(at minimum salery off cours)
If you are Tunisian , then its dificult ,Ajax and Dutch people think Tunisia have no Football history, ore (big) Stadiums.Not all the people , there are Dutch people who love Football and have interes in al continent Football clubs.
But overall we saw Saidi sitting on the bench for 5 years at Feynoord and Trabelsi even didn’t give a fuck about his Ajax medals (he left his house with all his stuf , have taking nothing to tunisia, al his medals and shirt sold by auction public)
Ajax is only good to improve players and i know Tunisian players wil sucseed perfectly there in the condition of learn to play in the attacking 4-3-3 system.
There where also some ruours about chikhaoui and chermitti but the source is from frenche websites.
I think they feel them self to high for North-African Tunisian players, even in Transfer money they don’t want to pay for Tunisian players ore Arab like they do for southAmericans ore Europeans.
Although I hope Chermiti and Chikhaoui go to ajax , because i know the dutch league is an easy one for tunisian players that are used to tunisian Defenses in Tunisian league,
Dutch league don’t have good defenders. Iff tunisian League would have 18 clubs it would be better then the dutch league.
Dutch league play 34 games , Tunisian 26, thats why players in tunisia need more playing time .

Posted from Netherlands

By Moni | February 28th, 2008 at 12:44 pm

You know Rami .

They thought that Trabelsi played football on his naked feet !! That might tell you something about the mentality !
WC 2006 , Spain-tunisia, when Mnari scored the first goal, the first half ended 1-0 in Tunisias favour, at halftime the dutch comentator almost cried when anouncing that tunisia spain 1-0 at half time.
he didn’t like it that tunisia scored.

Posted from Netherlands

By Rami | February 28th, 2008 at 4:05 pm

Damn I didn’t know they had such a little knowledge about the country. I’m sure there’s still more open minded people who know better. Also didn’t know that Trabelsi left everything in Amsterdam. I wish that guy would sign for a team already!

By Tom | February 28th, 2008 at 6:19 pm

Trabelsi play in qatar or something doesnt he?

Posted from United States

By Rami | February 29th, 2008 at 8:04 am

He signed for some Saudi team and then the deal fell through. He also had trials with Le Mans but his salary demands were too high. Marseille has wanted him too but he’s been holding out forever. Its getting to be annoying. Selim Ben Achour and Ziad Jaziri play in Qatar on different teams…

By Bassem | February 29th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

I think Moni is frustrated and spits a lot of trash talk with out a clue. Good and bad people are avallible around the world, to judge al people because you had a bad encounter its said, because Moni i think your brain is size chrimp. The Netherlands fired up alot of talents, check out the world and the trainers, are you realy that stupid or pretending to beeing stupid? Guus Hiddink, Johan Cruijf, Neeskens, Van Hangem, Dennis Bergkamp, Marco Van Basten etc etc etc.

So please shut up or talk normal.

Posted from Netherlands

By Rami | February 29th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

Yo Bassem, what about Ajax fans and what they think of Chermiti? Does the casual fan know who he is and that Ajax is scouting him?

Posted from United States

By Moni | February 29th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

Dear Bassem,
What has the story that I wrote to do with “Good people ore Bad people ?”
Could you tell me wich part that I wrote is “Trash talk ” ??
Also when did I judge al people ? I’m first of al talking strictly about Football.
Why do I have to be frustrated ? About what ? What I noticed is true !!! 100% TRUE.
You also mentioned that The netherlands fired up alot of talent, yes thats true, and they have allot good trainers, like the people you named.
But what has that to do with the topic Question o Ajax fans know who Chermitti is ? Rami asked to you ? NO the majority don’t know ! But like I said Chermiti don’t need Ajax , Ajax need chermiti ! Tunisia have more talent then Holland ! But tunisia don’t manage in the continueti to develop these players to top players, because a lack of technical and tactical studies in Football. Today in Borj Cedria you have a institute, they where also responsible for creation of the U-17 squad. At club level there are still behind europe, BUT I know for sure within 5,6,7 years things wil change at EST,CSS,CA,ESS and they will improve the Training methodes.
The African Nation cup for example just yesterday they knew it(in holland and rest of the world accept for France and England because of there ex-kolonies).
Since 1996 I follow African nation cup and African Champions league.
How would you describe the attention of dutch media for this event ?
(Zero attention).
But I’m surprised by your attack on me , that tells something about the way you think , you don’t know me , but still you judge.
I think you have to concentrate when you reading an article.
Ajax should be honoured that a tunisian player choose them to play.
I’m proud that Tunisia got there own football clubs wich are not weaker then the dutch clubs. May be better and stronger. Along with a nice Football history, and a proud member of the magic CAF with al the nice brotherly countries with the most beatiful squad nicknames of the african continent (and the world). a continent where football is still pure !
that is something to be jalous at !!