Fabio Cannavaro: Coaching is a different ball game
KUALA LUMPUR: Fabio Cannavaro or fondly known as 'Muro di Berlino' (The Berlin Wall) certainly warmed up to the atmosphere in Malaysia when the Tiger Street Football ambassador made an appearance at One Utama to commemorate the start of the two-day Tiger Street Football Tournament.
The 2006 world player of the year met reporters during an exclusive interview at the shopping outlet.
Having featured with top clubs like Real Madrid, Juventus and Inter Milan, Cannavaro retired last year due to a knee injury but he stuck to his football roots.
"After retirement, I became the sports adviser for Dubai based club, Al Ahli and this year, I became the assistant coach for the club,"
Cannavaro said coaching was a different ball game.
"As a player, you think of yourself, about your life and your career.
"When you're a coach, you need to prepare lots of things, like the training and the tactical aspects for your team. It's totally different, it's a life changer for me," said the 39-year-old
Whether it's in Europe or Asia, the coaching methods are the same and is it important to be professional when it comes to coaching, he said.
"We face the same pressure like any European team. As coaches we have to be professional and make sure we can handle things well," said Cannavaro
When asked to compare between the 2006 World Cup squad and the current Italian squad, this is what he had to say,
"When we won the World Cup in 2006, we had a good set of players like (Francesco) Totti, (Alessandro) Del Piero, (Luca) Toni, (Alessandro) Nesta, (Gianluigi) Buffon, (Andrea) Pirlo and (Gennaro) Gattuso.
"We all had a good connection and now in Italy, we've got young interesting players who've made Italy a stronger side,"
However, he said it's difficult to compare the two sides as they have their own strengths and they come from two different generations.
"It's a generational change and I wish to see this team win the World Cup.
"However, we can't compare the 2006 side and the current side because it's two different generations," he said
According to Cannavaro, the toughest player he faced in his entire career was former Brazilian striker Ronaldo.
"In my generation, he was the best player I faced. He was a menace!"
Players like Cannavaro, Paulo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero and Alessandro Costacurta have played football at an age where most professional footballers retire.
Cannavaro said their professionalism was the secret to their longevity
"Training is always important and off-the-pitch, we have to carry ourselves well,"
When asked whether he would like to come out of retirement and play football again, he said he would love to and said he would like to try out the Barclays Premier League.
"The football there is brilliant and unlike in Italy and Spain, the players there don't face much pressure and they can go around freely,"
Winning the World Cup was his greatest achievement and he said that winning the trophy catapulted him to legendary status.
"When lifting the trophy, I thought about my family. It was a surreal feeling!"
Being the ambassador of Tiger Street Football, Cannavaro said it's the best platform for youngsters to showcase their talent and gain some experience.
"I've met lots of friendly people and I can also see lots of potential from this tournament.
"Hopefully in the near future, Tiger Street Football will go to Europe," he said
Formerly one of the best defenders in the world, Cannavaro rated Thiago Silva from Brazil and Paris St Germain to be the best centre-back in the world.
As for the Italians, he rated Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli as the best defenders in the country and between the two, Barzagli aces it!
He also jokingly said that his brother, Paulo Cannavaro, who currently plays for Napoli should be in the group too.
When it comes to Asia, he says Australia is toughest team to beat as they have strong players with good mentality.
To improve Asian football, Cannavaro said that Asian sides need good coaches to improve their standards in world football.
"Coaches with good mentality and experience will be good for these sides,"
Mario Balotelli has hogged the headlines many times for his dodgy behaviour and recently, he announced that he purchased a pet pig.
When asked about Balotelli, Cannavaro only said, "He is a good player and a good person,"
Throughout his career, many ladies have casted an eye due to his good looks and when asked how he handles that pressure, he says it's part and parcel of a footballer's life.
"When you're famous, people look up to you. We have to be generous towards them because without them, we wouldn't be famous.
"In my career, I've met lots of players but one player who stood out was David Beckham. David was unbelievable! He knows how to handle the fans," said Cannavaro
When asked what should the Malaysian national football team do to improve their ranking and performance, he simply said,
"You need a good coach to improve the players and I think Malaysia needs to bring in a foreign coach because they have better mentality,"
When asked about the future of world football, he said he hopes to see more Asian teams doing well in international tournaments.
"In the near future, I hope to see an Asian side winning the World Cup," he said
He also advised youngsters to follow their dream and make sure they have the right guidance when taking up football.
2013年08月18日 08点08分
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