“National flop at the European Championships? The coach chose some interesting young players, leaving slightly older players at home. Some players didn’t perform as they should have and probably the group needed to get results wasn’t created. Spalletti is a good coach but we need a national coach, I’m thinking of Lippi or Mancini”. This is what the former sports director of – among others – Hellas Verona and Palermo, Rino Foschi, told TuttoMercatoWeb.com.
Spaletti had no impact.
“I remember Spalletti’s pre-European interviews well, and those after: the words don’t match. There was a bit of confusion. The players went haywire, the team seemed to me to be in disarray. And then I saw a bit of chaos in those who have to make the decisions”.
Would you change the coach?
“I don’t know if Spalletti is a good fit: either he adapts and learns to be a coach or it’s a problem. We need a coach who can train a group: Spalletti is a very good club coach, but coaching the national team is different.”
Calafiori has made a great impression at the Euros. And Arsenal are thinking about it.
“He is an important young player, for Serie A it would be a big loss. But in Italy we need to cash in”
What kind of market do you expect?
“Juventus has already made some excellent acquisitions, for the rest the market has not yet fully started. But it will still be a good market”.
In B Palermo and Cremonese aim for A.
“B is always a different championship. More beautiful in terms of play and aggression. Winning is not easy. There is not one team, but five or six that compete for promotion”.
How does he see his ex Palermo?
“It’s a difficult answer for me. I agree with some things and others less so. The owners of the club have many clubs around the world, Palermo is the fifth city in Italy and is not in the hands of a local owner: it is part of a group, it is like an industry. Palermo must fight for Serie A and must be managed like the team of the fifth city in Italy. It should be the Manchester City of Italy”.
And Cremonese?
“It has a passionate owner. Italian and tied to the place. He will do his best to return to Serie A. And I think he can do it.”