Italy: Interim coach wants to follow PSG's example

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Silvio Baldini, currently serving as Italy’s interim coach, did not hold back in his criticism of the country’s football leadership.

“My explanation is simple. Italian football is in the hands of leaders who put their own interests above the development of the sport. They focus on signing seasoned players instead of young talent, simply because it serves their own purposes. I have nothing to hide—I've always said this. I call some of them crooks, and they're often the ones pulling the strings. As long as we don’t have competent leadership, this problem will persist. Going abroad gives these youngsters the chance to experience different leagues and cultures. What unites them is their genuine passion for football, their authenticity, and their hunger for success and money. My goal is to help them understand that football is truly a way of life, a valuable tool to find the answers they’re searching for,” declared the interim coach.

Addressing Italy’s lagging progress on multiple fronts, Baldini cited PSG as an example: “The only way to gain experience is to step onto the pitch: if a player doesn’t play enough, his potential remains capped. The real challenge isn’t with the youth national teams, who actually achieve excellent results, but in transitioning to the senior national team. The problem doesn’t lie with the Federation, but rather with club decisions. What’s the point in signing a 39-year-old instead of developing a young player from your own academy? As long as Italian clubs lack visionary and serious leadership, nothing will change. This mindset also directly affects the tempo of play, which is far too slow in Italy. Young players bring energy, pace, and enthusiasm; experienced players, on the other hand, tend to manage their energy and press less aggressively. Just look at European models like PSG or Aston Villa. We talk about renewal, but then settle for a compact defense, which only lets us catch our breath. It’s a tactic that might work against average opponents, but its limitations are exposed as soon as the competition level rises.”

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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