Allegri: ‘Calcio too tactical’

By Football Italia staff

Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri believes an obsession with systems and tactics is holding Italian football back.



The Bianconeri boss spoke to newspaper La Repubblica about the state of the Italian game, and is worried that a focus on tactics is holding it back.



“I’m worried that we’re treating young players like battery hens,” Allegri warned.



“In Italy, the national youth teams call-up the players which are best suited to the system. In Germany they call up the best players and then work out where to play them.



“That’s the difference. Football has changed.



“[Arrigo] Sacchi revolutionised football, but at that time it was easier to surprise people.



“Before everything was filmed and analysed, it took three years to figure out how to neutralise [Zdenek] Zeman’s 4-3-3.



“You can’t surprise anyone these days, so you have to rely on talent.



“I’m not one who goes crazy about plans, I’m more impulsive. Most of the times when inspiration strikes me it’s when I’m not thinking about it.



“I often come up with formation changes in the middle of the night.



“It’s nonsense to say that you can understand the game better from the stands. Up there you’re out of it, you have to stay in the fray, and correctly read a look, or a moment.



“Football is not just tactics and schemes.



“Some people want to turn football into a science, but there’s nothing scientific about it. It’s a show, and shows are performed by artists.



“We can talk for hours about organisation and patterns of play, but players win you matches.



“If you have [Lionel] Messi you’re practically starting the game 2-0 up. It’s the same with [Cristiano] Ronaldo.



“If it’s tactics that make you win, then why did Real Madrid spend €100m on Bale on the transfer market?



“In Italy if you go to see a game, mark the formation on a piece of paper and then fall asleep, when you wake up an hour later the players will be in exactly the same positions as before.



“If you have people like [Zlatan] Ibra[himovic], [Clarence] Seedorf, [Andrea] Pirlo, [Carlos] Tevez, [Alessandro] Nesta, Thiago Silva or [Leonardo] Bonucci you’ve got to put your trust in them.”

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