Former Hibs kid Jamie McCluskey could be set for Serie A

Nov 2 2008 By Scott Mcdermott

JAMIE McCLUSKEY has feared for his safety in Serbia and been praised by a Serie A superstar as he bids to get his career back on track.

The former Hibs winger last night spoke for the first time about his foreign mission trying to find a new club.

McCluskey has already spent a fortnight at both Partizan Belgrade and Catania - with the Italian side now ready to offer him a deal.

It has been an incredible experience for the 20-year-old who surged into the Easter Road first team at just 17. After a fall-out with John Collins and breaking the same foot TWICE Jamie is determined to get back to his best and finally start the season in January.

Thanks to agent Rudi Vata, McCluskey has been given the chance to play in Europe but admits he had to be on constant guard in Belgrade.

Jamie, who returned to Scotland yesterday, told MailSport: "Serbia wasn't the best. For the first time in my life I got quite homesick.

"Training with Partizan was good but it finished at 12 and I was on my own all day. No one spoke English so I couldn't even ask where to go or what to do.

"I would just watch TV then phone my mum and dad - mostly telling them to get me home!

"I knew the heat and the training would do me good but Belgrade was like a war zone.

"Most of the place was in ruins and I lived on the outskirts.

"I didn't know where I was, no one could understand me and I was scared to go out alone.

"Even the boys in training said 'If you go out, watch yourself'. They were worried something may happen as I was foreign and didn't know my way around. So I didn't go out at all."

Italy was the next stop for McCluskey where he impressed Catania gaffer Gaetano Pecorino. The Serie A side are keen to sign the youngster then send him out on loan to get used to Italian football.

Jamie loved his time at the club especially when he met Brazil superstar Pablo Ledesma.

He said: "I spent two great weeks in Italy anditwas fantastic to train with a Serie A side.

"They have two or three outstanding players like Ledesma who is worth around 15million euros.

"He was one of the first guys to introduce himself. After the first training session he was telling me I was some player!

"Apparently the Catania boss thinks I can be a top man in Italy once I get used to it.

"There has been a lot of talk about them signing me but so far nothing has been agreed."

McCluskey is ready to put the past behind him, particularly his spat with former gaffer Collins.

He said: "I was in Hibs' squad for a game at Inverness but was the only player not to make the bench. Collins insisted on me getting stripped, doing a warm-up with the boys only to get showered and sit in the stand.

"Maybe I was immature but I refused to do it. He never picked me again."