‘They really wanted me, it’s a very stable club’
Stepping out of Venezia’s Santa Lucia train station, you are greeted by the sound of water gently lapping against the pavement from the city’s famous Grand Canal. A 10-minute wander takes you through a labyrinth of winding waterways, picturesque bridges and pastel-coloured buildings that seem to defy physics by staying afloat in their staggeringly beautiful surroundings.
After an aimless stroll through the sun-bleached city, soundtracked by the distant call of gondoliers and bustle from gelateria doorways, the leading question I have come here to ask Harvey St Clair begins to seem rather absurd: ‘why did you choose to join Venezia FC’?
But despite the undeniable charm of the city and the allure of la dolce vita, the Scotland Under-21 international’s decision to turn down a senior contract at Chelsea in favour of a move to the unfashionable Italian second tier does demand further examination, if only for its sheer bravery and rarity among young Scottish footballers.
This wasn’t, after all, just the next step in the winding career path of a journeyman player. This was a 19-yearold leaving a club he had been with for 13 years, since his first trial aged six, moving to a new country and league without a minute of senior football to his name and only a handful of Italian phrases committed to memory.
St Clair first came to the attention of many football fans north of the border when he helped Scotland’s Under21 side to fourth place in this year’s Toulon Tournament, coming off the bench against South Korea and Togo. But Chelsea supporters held high hopes for the forward, who scored three goals for the Blues’ Under-23 side as they beat the likes of Real Madrid and Porto to reach the final of the UEFA Youth League last season.
Remaining at Stamford Bridge would have been the easy choice for the teenager, with a mixture of youth football and loan spells likely to have been waiting had he stayed put. There is a refreshing simplicity to his response when challenged on the decision to begin this Venetian adventure, which speaks volumes of the courage, adventurous spirit and open-mindedness of this young man in a foreign land.
“I came to Venezia for an opportunity to play firstteam football,” he explained. “For a new experience, a new challenge and to play with men at the end of the day.
“I want to progress as a footballer so for me it was a no brainer to come here. Chelsea offered me a new deal and I could’ve stayed, but I would’ve been playing Under-23s. I just felt it was best to come here.
“The way Venezia approached me was that they really wanted me to come. They have a big project here – a long-term project. It’s a very stable club and they showed real eagerness to get me.
“When I first heard about it I watched videos, searched on the internet about the team. I thought it was a great club and the new owner, [Joe] Tacopina, who has taken charge has a good project and it seemed like a very stable club. Obviously,