Between the national team and the restarting championship, the analysis of the Rai commentator: “There are good young players, you just need to trust them. Pio Esposito is the symbol, he takes advantage of every rebound. Inter are still the favourites, give time to Spalletti and Amorim”
Four matches for the national team with Roberto Mancini’s new direction and now Serie A starts again after a break that has never been so long. Lele Adani has commented on the Azzurri’s matches for Rai and is now preparing to dive into the championship again. The young people and the coach, Baldini’s work and the importance of the coaches. A 360 degree journey inside our football.
Adani, what did Mancini bring to Italian football?
“Positivity. Roberto didn’t let himself be influenced by the negative moment in our football, of which we are often victims. Those who coach, those who play, those who comment: everyone said that there was no hope. Mancini didn’t listen to anyone, he pushed away negative thoughts. He searched, selected and chose freely. He had the intuition not to be dragged into negative thoughts.”
The emblem of the new course is Pio Esposto.
“The boy who always does the right things. He only needs a few minutes, he takes advantage of the opportunity, he takes advantage of every favorable rebound, he is ready to take every nuance. He has something special, it goes beyond his qualities. He is someone who always fills the glass. He has grown and grows every day because at Inter he trains with many champions. He has people like Lautaro and Thuram in front of him, but then every day he plays and fights against Bastoni, Akanji, Bisseck, all very strong defenders.”
How did we not notice Kayode?
“We didn’t notice him or even Vergara and many others. And all the under 21s who play with Baldini. There are also very good players there who will soon arrive in the national team. Kayode plays in the Premier League after moving up from the youth sectors of Juventus and Fiorentina. We need to look at the potential of these guys and make them grow, not make them go away. Kayode had limitations in the defensive phase, at Brentford they worked on this and now he’s much improved.”
Three weeks off, what kind of Serie A will we find again?
“I’m curious to see it, all the teams will be put to the test. I think like Klopp when he says that the national team is the most important club so you shouldn’t think that it’s a moment of rest. The problem will be managing tiredness and recovery because in any case many have played four games and also very demanding ones.”
Does Inter still start as title favorites?
“Basically, yes, the difference with the other teams is indisputable in terms of personnel. Roma are in the lead with Inter who are very hungry, Milan and Juve who hope to get back into the running, Como who in my opinion this year are unlikely to repeat last year’s exploits by qualifying for the Champions League. Of course Inter will have to try to be connected to the match for 90 minutes, but already last year Inter have disproved a cliché of the our football: it’s not true that whoever has the best defense wins because already last year the team that scores the most goals wins.”
Fabregas said at the Sports Festival that for him the growth of a player is more important than a trophy.
“Fabregas is credible and he demonstrated it last year. I like the humility he is showing after his work was judged presumptuous last year. The reality is that he is chasing multiple goals at Como: the results that have arrived so far, improving his players to integrate them into his game and valorise them on the market. Because the economic value of the squad has grown a lot and this is very important for a club. I believe he will stay at Como for a few more years, but he is already one of the best coaches in the world and is destined to coach big clubs.”
Is the Milan and Juve project convincing?
“It’s still early to say, but the important thing is that now there are competent people in key technical roles. Like Spalletti and Amorim. You have to have patience and this is a feeling that doesn’t go along with these big clubs, but it’s the only way to try to get results. Look at the case of Roma: when Gasperini arrived it wasn’t easy for him to conquer the place. Then the city chose.”
After years in Serie C, Alvini is amazing Serie A, Baldini is doing a great job with the under.
“These two coaches are the emblem of the short-sightedness of Italian managers in the last twenty years. Perhaps because they are free from the system, they always say what they think and act on their own terms. There are many coaches around with ideas and great passion who are ignored.”
A year ago Chivu, after the first games, wasn’t doing well either.
“Chivu has always known the dynamics of football having played in big clubs, he just had to see how it’s done. He found solutions, he re-evaluated the squad, he managed to be credible almost immediately. Very quickly he became a certainty and won two trophies.”
Sad days for Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I have infinite gratitude for Leo, he offered energy with the simplicity of genius. He taught everyone how to win after losing. Messi is for everyone: for the child, for the man and for the grandfather. Cristiano will have to find balance and peace within himself to understand that he was a legend. I hope he can close with more serenity. Unfortunately the moment to leave the scene comes for everyone.”
