In a lengthy interview with those at Il Corriere della Sera, Stefano Pioli said the following words regarding his first impressions when he arrived to Milan a few years ago:
"After the greetings at the entrance, I went onto the field and found, on the right, among the trees, the statue of Rocco. He sort of made me say: 'Damn it where am I?'. I immediately felt at ease. I don't know if I was well received, but I was fine."
Who did you first meet?
"Calabria and Romagnoli, but I'm not sure. I remember the first speech. I said that if we are all here it is because we have qualities, it all depends on how we want to work. If we put passion, professionalism and sacrifice into it, things will necessarily go well."
How was the mentality of the players then?
"We draw the first game at home against Lecce, at the last minute, we lose the second against Roma. There I discovered that in difficulties the team struggled to react: they had to be re-motivated."
Pioli on how much he changed since his debut:
"My priorities are always the same: motivate the players, put them well on the pitch and give them ideas. Before I was more schematic, I relied on tactics, now I know you don't win for the game system, 443 or 4231, but for the combination of talent, passion, sweat, sacrifice, desire to fight for clear objectives. In short, character. And intelligence. Now I'm more strategic, and with the large staff I can focus on individual players. With Maldini and Massara we are not talking about short or tall players, right or left-footed, but about intelligence. Technique is an acquired fact, the strength and explosiveness of the legs is needed, but the future of football belongs to players who know how to quickly recognize how to develop the situation, read the spaces to occupy."
What experience has helped you with younger players?
"I was adopted by my teammates, especially by Gaetano Scirea, we went to a restaurant together, at his house after training. I have lived with champions on and off the field, intelligent, serious, respectful with everyone. Even with me mostly ending up on the bench."
Pioli on the coaches who inspire him the most:
"Everyone, but the one I copied the most is Bagnoli at Verona. He spoke little, but once a month he gathered us in the locker room and gave an opinion to each one. 'Stefano keep it up' he told me. To others 'If you continue like this, stay out', 'You play too much in the shade', 'You could have done athletics'… Subtle things... To evaluate a player I need to know what is happening to him. I talk to all the players every day."
Did you talk to your players during the Qatar World Cup competition?
"Yes. First, I wished them luck. Then, I called them after the game. Rafa tells me 'Mister, everything is fine... I played 20 minutes... 30, I played 40, I'm happy, I'm angry..."
On the first impression on Rafael Leao, Pioli said:
"As soon as I arrived, my collaborators and I said to each other: 'Oh, but here we have a player who plays while laughing?', Then we realized that it is a natural grimace, it's just his way."
On the qualities of his players:
"They are beautiful, even in their quirks. It seems they aren't focused, maybe it's serenity, awareness... it's their strength: they turn off the music two minutes before entering the field, looking very concentrated. In my day, when you stood in line with a pack of tokens to make calls, music was not allowed in the changing rooms. Today, however, I worry if there is silence. We load ourselves with music on the bus and before entering the field Theo plays Eminem's song… and if we win, on the way back on the bus, everyone sings, I sing too."
Pioli on the Scudetto victory:
"It was nice with my son on the bus, on his return from Sassuolo, Zlatan took the microphone and made a comment on each one. Then on the open-top bus in Milan… but now that I think about it, I'd say on the terrace in Milan, at night, there were still Milan fans celebrating and my son and I smoked a Cuban cigar. I always tell Barbara, my wife, one day we're going to Cuba."
Did you write to your wife?
"Yes, love letters. There was one, in a moment of difficulty, in which I gave her explanations, and she was helpful."
A slogan to face Tottenham in the Champions League?
"Without fear."
