🎙️ INTERVIEW | Sporting Director Accardi speaks to “Tuttosport”

Rossoblù Sporting Director Pietro Accardi gave an in-depth interview to the Italian newspaper Tuttosport, available on newsstands today. Here are some excerpts from his comments:

ON THE TEAM’S CURRENT FORM
“I didn’t expect such a start. We’re enjoying this moment, but at the same time we’re keeping our feet on the ground and staying focused, knowing that we’re only at the beginning, that the road ahead is still very long and that our objective is to secure survival. The positive aspect is that we’ve earned these points thanks to the clear ideas the coach has instilled in the team.”

REPRESENTING A COMMUNITY
“I’m getting to know a wonderful environment here in Cagliari. It’s great to work in a place where you feel comfortable with the people around you. They made me feel at home straight away. My responsibilities have increased: here, you represent an entire community, and you have to live up to that responsibility. Just as I did at Empoli, I also feel a strong sense of family here.”

CLEAR IDEAS AND A SENSE OF BELONGING
“President Giulini asked me to build the future through the present, so we’re focused on what we need to do today. The President and I already knew each other because, when I was representing other clubs and he was Cagliari’s president, we had been in direct contact. He’s teaching me a great deal while also helping me grow. Here, I’ve found a Club with clear ideas and a shared vision across ownership, management, the youth sector and the coaching staff. We’re one big family that knows what needs to be done, with everyone fulfilling their own role.”

THE COACH’S QUALITIES
“Before arriving in Cagliari, I took the opportunity to update my knowledge, study and reflect on the mistakes I’d made in the past. I went to watch matches, exchanged views with colleagues and studied certain coaches in greater depth because, today more than ever, they are central to a club’s project. Players need coaches who are capable of communicating effectively on the pitch even more than they did in the past.Coach Pisacane is a complete manager. He was one of the coaches I had studied, and I’m delighted to be working with him. When you work with him every day, you gain an even greater appreciation of the professional he is and of his footballing philosophy. He’s a visionary and has an incredible ability to manage people. He seems as though he’s been in Serie A for a lifetime; he’s far more experienced and mature than his years of experience would suggest.”

ON ROMANO AND MALDINI
“Romano had already impressed me last season with the way he immediately adapted to a difficult environment like Spezia. A young player making his first experience at senior level who manages to establish himself by playing all 19 matches despite the difficulties gives you a clear idea of his mentality. He was certainly in high demand over the summer. Other clubs were interested, but I believe Cagliari’s project, and above all the coach’s technical and tactical approach, made the difference. As for Maldini, I spoke to him when we signed him, as did the coach and the President himself. We were all convinced of his talent, and here he can showcase his immense qualities. I’ve found him more mature than he was at Empoli. He has the ability to reach double figures in both goals and assists. First, he needs to find the consistency that he’s lacked in recent years, although he’s starting to show it in these opening matches.”

YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE
“We have some very interesting young players. Among others, I’m thinking of Rodriguez, who made his debut for the Uruguay national team, as well as Kofler, Mendy and Liteta. We’re waiting for Idrissi and Trepy to return; both came through our youth academy. For us, the academy is an added value. More recently, we’ve also brought Sugamele up from the Primavera team. I haven’t forgotten our experienced players, such as Deiola, Mina, Caprile and Winks, who seems as though he’s been at Cagliari for a lifetime. They all help these young players develop.”

ON THE CHALLENGE AGAINST JUVENTUS
“We’ll be up against a strong team with some outstanding individual players and a coach I know personally, Spalletti, who thrives in situations where the pressure is greatest. At the end of the match, I’ll be satisfied if I’ve seen the same spirit and attitude we showed in our first five games. On that, I have no doubts.”