EXCLUSIVE Interview with Gianluca Vialli: ‘Here’s why I ended my coaching career. EPL the world’s most spectacular league
Vialli had never had his personal agent until he signed with Chelsea. The former Juventus star hired Pasqualin and D’Amico to finalize the deal with the Premier League side.
Vialli works today as pundit for Sky Italia and has released an exclusive interview with calciomercato.com that was founded exactly 20 years ago, right after the Bosman ruling.
Can we say that the Bosman ruling arrived in the right moment for you? “Definitely. The ruling gave me the chance to move everywhere I wanted for nothing. Egoistically, I was free to choose my future.”
When did you decide to leave Italy?
“I’d leave Juventus even without the Bosman ruling. Chelsea had called me and they had amazing projects, but the Abramovich era had not begun yet. The club were already planning to win the Premier League one day. Gullit was the manager at that time. He knew me and I was attracted by living in London. I just couldn’t say no.”
When did you inform Juventus?
“Juventus told me they did not want to extend my contract. It happened before the Champions League quarter final with Real Madrid. Sincerly I wasn’t really happy about their decision. Later, I understood that leaving Turin was the best choice for my future.”
Did you sign before the Champions League final?
“We had a verbal agreement , nothing written. I had other things to think about. I signed after winning the final.”
How did you get to 31-year-old without an agent? It would be impossible to think about something similar today.
“When I used to play for Sampdoria I was doing everything with Mantovani. We sat around the negotiations table and that was enough to finalize the deal. It was the same when I was at Juve, but when Chelsea called me I had to hire two agents because I had other things to focus on. I wanted no distractions, the Champions League final was imminent.”
How did you settle in at Chelesa?
“I was shocked. Nothing was comparable to Italy. Even when I was underoing medical. There were worse structures, less professionalization. We had two days off a week and we never did double training sessions. Italian football was from another world at that time. I had to adapt and that’s what I did.”
In 1998 you became player-manager....
“As a manager, I tried to increase the level of the club. I tried to transmit a more continental and European organization. The growth of English football started in those years. The Premier League changed thanks to the experience and knowledge of foreign managers.”
And today they are the best league in the world....
“I wouldn’t say the best. The Premier League is definitely the most entertaining, spectacular and credible league. The secret of their success is the atmosphere. In addition, the product is easy to be sold. It’s faster and less tactical, with the right behaviour of players on the pitch. They don’t defend very well, there are lot of goals, that’s what the public love because it is entertaining.”
They have also improved under organizational terms
“Today the Premier League clubs are at the same level of the other big teams in Europe”
You won five trophies with Chelsea, why did you end your coaching career?
“I had a bad experience at Watford and I understood there were things much more entertaining and much less stressful than being a football manager. I put an end to it because of many reasons. For example, I am no part of the family of Sky Italia and I am really proud of that. I got married too. Before I used to be married with football. I am happy about what I am doing now.”
