Gatt played in Altach's 2-0 friendly loss to Bayer Leverkusen today. I can't find just how much playing time he got, but he's mentioned in the match report from Altach's website: Mit Fortdauer des Spiels wechselten beide Teams durch, beim SCRA durften in Halbzeit zwei unter anderem Gatt, Birgfellner und Topduman von der zweiten Mannschaft Erfahrungen sammeln. and this one from Leverkusen's website: Eine gefährliche Flanke von Joshua Gatt an den Fünf-Meter-Raum konnte René Adler problemlos abfangen. Could a German speaker give us a translation?
He put in a dangerous cross that was "intercepted" by the keeper. I think he came on at the start of the second half.
Says Gatt, Birgfellner, and Topduman, all from the second team, were allowed to gather experience by playing the in the second half. and this one from Leverkusen's website: As was already translated, Adler had no problem catching a dangerous cross from Gatt in the five-meter box.
Second: Adler didn't have any problems to catch a dangerous cross by Joshua Gatt at the border of the '6. First: Both teams brought in many subs in the second half, Gatt, Birgfellner and Topduman from the reserves among others.
Altach was relegated from the Bundesliga last year. They've won all three matches this season and currently lead the "Erste Liga" (second tier). Josh Gatt wears #2 but hasn't yet seen any league match playing time.
Gatt played 27 minutes with the first team in the fourth game against Austria Vienna on the road. They won 2-1 so it was a tight game. He was one of three subs used. When he does play with the reserves, he seems to be dominating. From the Vorarlberg Online paper (Translated): "Nevertheless, the very young troops of the Rhine villagers showed especially in the initial phase a refreshing attacking football. The swift as an arrow U.S. Boy Joshua Gatt was always in the spotlight. Together with strike partner Julian Erhart he repeatedly tore holes in the FCD Defense." That sounds like a pretty good first 6 weeks for the young man. If you have seen him play, you know he is the real deal.
Glad he is doing well. The reserves play in the third division which is amateur football so its not surprising that he is dominating.
Austria Vienna is in A-bundesliga. Which means that Altach's reserves were playing Austria's reserves. Who, I assume, are full pros.
The reserves in Austria aren't very important. Many of the talented boys leave early to a German or other foreign academy; others make it to the first team soon, because the A-Bundesliga level isn't that impressive. So you won't find many great prospects among Austrian reserve teams.
It was "First Vienna FC 1894," not Austria Wien, so it was a league game. http://www.scra.at/nc/aktuelles/details/archiv/2010/07/29/article/11//scra-zu-gast-3/
I watched a team from one of the Regional leagues because Arsenal played them in a friendly. We had a mix of first team and reserves playing and beat them easily. If Gatt plays for the reserves he should have no problem at that level. I'd expect some goals if he is as good as people are saying. Gatt's team plays in the second division so agan I'd expect him to do well. Austria isn't that great of a league but it beats playing in college. He's living the dream so fair play to him.
The training both on/off the field, being a professional, and playing 10-11 months a year vs the 5 he would play in college, for an 18 year-old aspiring to make it in soccer, is, in my humble opinion, the way to go. He made a gutsy move and I applaud him for that. Only time will tell where he ultimately ends up but at least he is in the "game" in Europe.
I don't think it was gutsy I think it was the right move. He had a solid offer to go pro and made the right choice. Declining it and going to college to play minimal soccer and take classes for a degree he wouldn't use would be a big waste of time. I wish him the best. Austria isn't a top league but at least we know he will be given the opportunity to play and if he does well maybe a German team will come calling. Only time will tell. I wish him the best.
Gatt came on as a sub in the 68th minute in a 4-0 victory by Altach over Grödig. It was league play. http://www.scra.at/nc/aktuelles/details/archiv/2010/08/03/article/11//40-erfolg-g/
Gatt came on in the 64th minute as Altach tried to overcome a 2-0 deficit while being a man down. However, they failed and lost 3-1. http://scra.at.weltfussball.at/?spiel_id=584810
Forgive my ignorance, but what were some of Gatt's credentials in the US before he made the move to Altach? He is playing off the bench with the first team now?
First post of the thread - he was a top high school player in the Midwest who verbally committed to play for Indiana U, but instead signed a pro deal with SCR Altach. They are now in the 2nd level in Austria (not a very high level) and he is one of the first subs in most of their matches. He is 18 years old.
I do 't think he had any youth caps, but I don't know the answers to any other questions. He played on some sort of youth team that toured Europe and was discovered by Altach.