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What team did you like playing for best: Milan or Juventus?
Well, I got the best results with Juventus; because I won the championships and played for the National team. But then I worked for 22 years with Milan, so... As far as work goes, I would say Milan. As far as results go, I’d say Juventus.
Without forgetting my affection for the Roma team, because after so many years I won the Championship.
Who is the best player you have trained?
I have trained many good ones all over the world: from England, to Spain, players who came from South America... What I like remembering the best are the players who came from the Milan youth sector. A player I am particularly fond of is Paolo Maldini.
My name is Daria, I'm ten years old and I'm in the fourth grade. Do you like training the Russian team?
Yes. When they offered it to me I accepted because it seemed like an interesting challenge with good prospects. I'm pleased.
When you train, do you speak Russian or English?
That's a good question! Among the Russian players, three of them speak English, and another one speaks Spanish. I speak to them in English or in Spanish. I need an interpreter for the other ones.
How do you stimulate the players during matches and during training?
As far as training is concerned, I think that the players are very lucky to be able to work two hours per day. So I think that the least they can do is work hard at do what I ask.
Concerning the match, it is a little different. Often, the player enters the field relaxed, thinking “we're going to win against this team”. But that isn't true. The hardest thing is keeping the players “on the tightrope”, as we say, to get the most out of them, above all against small teams. Tension has to be increased for the match.
You are Italian and you live abroad, you are very lucky to have an experience that will help you in the future, allowing you to learn different languages and know what it means to live far from Italy. You will learn to appreciate the values and things that our great culture stands for. Our great historical culture has always been a light for the entire world.
Remember this: we are Italians and we are lucky to be abroad, in a beautiful fantastic country such as Russia that gives us great opportunities. Work and education, because you won't get anywhere without education.. Education is the most important thing for young people. You have to try to have clear goals in order to succeed, and work along with your parents to achieve them. Thanks to all of you!
An opinion about the Russian championship: in your opinion is it reaching European levels?
When important high level players start arriving, the general level of soccer gets higher. We are on the right track.
What are the differences between Russia and England?
The most powerful press, absolutely, is in England. Everyone thinks that in England there is no pressure, but all newspapers have a minimum of eight sports pages every day. The place where printed matter has the most power over any other media is England.
One of the sports most followed in Russia is hockey. What is your relationship with this sport?
I worked in the field of Hockey for four years, I know everything.
Do you still follow it, do you go to matches at the stadium?
I went to see the Dinamo-Cska match and I met the president of Dinamo. And today I went to find out if Russia qualified for the final phase in Sweden. In the quarter finals they qualified by winning 3-1. You see, they are well prepared.
Were you recently able to meet the Zenit trainer and exchange some points of view with him?
I saw him on Wednesday
What did you talk about?
In the locker rooms we talk about soccer. With Spalletti we talked about soccer, about players.
You said that you didn't miss Italy all that much from a soccer point of view...
I don't, not from a soccer point of view. The more I watch matches on TV, the more I realise that I miss it less and less