Toulouse, when it comes to centre-forwards, certainly know how to pick ’em.
Wissam Ben Yedder, Martin Braithwaite, Andre-Pierre Gignac, Andy Delort and Amine Adli all made their name in violet. That is, before going onto bigger and, with all due respect, better things.
So Said Hamulic, presuming he did his research, could be forgiven for feeling that his development would be better served at Toulouse than at, say, FC Twente, Charleroi, Real Salt Lake and even Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.
Hamulic, Tuttomercatoweb say, snubbed Celtic and co in favour of Toulouse during the January transfer window; sealing a £2 million switch from Polish outfit Stal Mielec.
It’s still early days of course. But Hamulic’s first few weeks in Occitania would have even the most optimistic and self-confident character wondering if the decision he made was the right one.
Celtic like Said Hamulic
Hamulic was left out of the matchday squad for Toulouse’s 2-0 win at doomed Angers last weekend. That is the fourth time he’s been omitted entirely in eight Ligue 1 games. The Dutch-born Bosnian has featured in just 63 minutes of top-flight football. He wasn’t even afforded a starting spot against lower league opposition in the Coupe de France either
There was some surprise when Bosnia overlooked Hamulic for this months’ Euro 2024 qualifiers against Iceland and Slovakia. But, as coach Faruk Hadzibegic indicates, the 22-year-old’s focus should be on his club game rather than the international scene.
“I talked with his coach (Philippe Montanier),” Hadzibegic tells SportSport. “He just came to France. I am good friends with his coach, I consulted (with him).
“I think he needs some more time to get used to the more serious football that is played in France. The boy came from of the lower Dutch leagues three years ago!”
Left out again
Would Celtic – the dominant force in a less high-profile and competitive division – have suited Hamulic better at this stage of his career? The Hoops certainly have an excellent track record with regards to plucking young players out of obscurity and setting them on their pathway to stardom; see Virgil van Dijk, Liel Abada, Jota and co.
Now, there is no indication that Toulouse are losing faith in Hamulic. It is not uncommon for a coach to keep his new signing out of the limelight until he’s ready. Even Casemiro found that out at Manchester United.
But, even still, Hamulic may be up against it if he hopes to emulate the likes of Ben Yedder, Braithwaite and Gignac in Ligue 1.
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