Renzo Ulivieri, president of the Italian Coaches Association and former coach of Napoli and Bologna, spoke on `1 Football Club`, a radio program hosted by Luca Cerchione on 1 Station Radio. Here is an excerpt from the interview.
Bologna is coming to the match against Napoli on Monday night after a series of important and positive results, but who is in better shape?
“Napoli needs points to continue dreaming of the Scudetto, but Bologna is also dreaming. So it is already a dream match. It is a game that, in my opinion, will be very beautiful and fascinating also from a tactical point of view, because we will see teams with different philosophies. Then, as always, the one who is better that evening will prevail. I am talking about the game, because the result cannot be predicted. We saw Napoli-Milan: in the first half, Napoli clearly took over, but then Milan came out. Matches like these are beautiful to watch, interesting, even if at times they remain in the balance.”
So you expect a match that is not defensively focused like typical Italian games, but lively in terms of play and goals?
“The first ten minutes may be `Italian-style`, but then it will open up, and they will definitely play their game.”
Does Napoli convince you more with a three-man defense, lined up in a 3-5-2, or with a 4-3-3?
“It depends on Conte`s choices. When he makes these choices, which are tactical but also related to energy saving, he is never wrong. So I am convinced by what convinces Antonio Conte.”
If you were the president of Napoli, would you go to great lengths to keep him, given that there is a lot of talk about a possible farewell at the end of the season?
“Conte has signed a three-year contract… But he does not deny these rumors. He has been asked several times to comment on them, but he has always replied that he will see with the president at the end of the season. Personally, I do not express myself, also because these things bore me. I, for example, have always made annual contracts. Only once, with Bologna, I signed for two years. Then maybe Fiorentina called me, I asked to be released and they said no. I gladly stayed in Bologna. Even though I had the dream of spending a year at Fiorentina to end my career. I believe that when there are contracts, they should be respected. Then, of course, they can also be resolved by mutual agreement, but the will of both parties is needed. Indeed, it is a somewhat particular situation. Even the sporting director Manna, last Sunday, declared: `We hope that the coach will stay`.”
In Bologna, on the other hand, there is Vincenzo Italiano who is doing even better than the miracle performed by Thiago Motta last season. Do you agree?
“From a points perspective, perhaps not yet. But if we talk about the relationship with the city, the love that Bologna has for its coach, then yes, I would definitely say yes. The enthusiasm is there, he is highly appreciated, and deservedly so. He has been very good at making up for important departures compared to last season, and now he is also convincing from a playing point of view. Changing tactical philosophy is never easy, especially in a team used to other schemes. It is not easy to change the idea of the game. It took a while, but now we see a team that expresses itself well. They press high, they no longer concede the goals that Fiorentina conceded last year on long balls in the central zone. They are compact even in these situations. It`s a good thing. The match will be, in my opinion, open, played to win by both teams. It will be a real showcase for Italian football.”
From the height of your vast experience, do you still see Inter as favorites for the Scudetto today?
“One would think so. They have made a choice: to go forward, as long as possible, in all competitions, trying to keep the group united, compact, competitive on all fronts. It is a rational, important choice, but also with some risk. Napoli is still in the running, so… who is the favorite? Question mark.”