TMW Radio
The coach Sandro Pochescicurrently unattached, spoke during the programme ‘A Tutta C’ on TMW Radio of various topics related to the third series starting from the second teams.
What do you think about the U23s?
“As for the second teams, if they are made with an even better criterion than what is being done now, giving a lot of space to young Made in Italy players, I can only say why not. They worked in Spain and Juventus gave debuts to many young players who passed through there. However, I would like to see more Made in Italy players. This is the positive side: giving the young player an opportunity to make an intermediate step between the youth team and the first team. For many years now, we have seen few young players make the leap to the big ones. I want to see this Serie C focused more and more on Made in Italy players. I have been through all three groups and I can tell you that they are all very difficult”.
Has the level of Serie C risen? Has the attention given to this category helped?
“In my opinion, the level of Serie A and Serie B is going down. Serie C, if we think back 15-20 years, was made up of aggressive teams. Now, instead, we see more technique or maybe coaches who try to imitate the best coaches. The coach, then, we must always remember that he steals ideas from the coaches he was trained by so it is normal that he tries to copy. In the current Serie C, I really like Marani who goes around the fields to see the teams. Giving this attention always raises the level. Serie C is demonstrating, then, that money is not needed but ideas are needed: an example are Mantova and Juve Stabia. Mantova, in addition, must always be kept in mind that it was relegated and was fished out the year before the super promotion. Juve Stabia’s promotion came with the lowest budget in Serie C. This championship must be given attention by the big managers of Serie A. Serie D too, which is snubbed, should actually be followed a lot. I would remove the youth rule there because the youngster must play if he is strong. To think about these things, however, we should put people who have always played and lived this sport at the head of football. It cannot be that people like Totti and Maldini are not in football”.
How can it be improved further?
“There should be no politics in our sport. Football is a sport of passion and instinct. It should be planned but we need to give voice to those who have made the history of this sport. There are players who are highly appreciated and who should be given an award. Football should be played by those who have given their life to this sport. Remember that behind a great career there are the sacrifices of the person in question and his family”.