On Stile TV, during the programme 'Salite sulla giostra' hosted by Raffaele Auriemma, sports executive Ariedo Braida spoke. Here are his words:
“It’s always better to finish second than third, or third than fourth. In sport, and in football, second place isn’t to be dismissed, because people remember who wins, but even reaching a Champions League final is important. Of course, losing it hurts, but you can never win it if you don’t reach the final.
Choices sometimes reward you, other times they punish you, but it isn’t easy. Football isn’t mathematical, the team that spends the most doesn’t necessarily win. It’s clear, however, that without resources you achieve nothing, but at times decisions are what make you win or lose a league title.”
On the current state of Italian football: “It’s a period of great decline for Italian football. I hope and expect that next season starts well and ends even better, but failing to qualify for the World Cup and this failure in European competitions highlight clear problems. A virtuous cycle needs to be created, starting with the training of coaches. There are many things to do in order to improve and rediscover the main path where we have been protagonists on so many occasions.
This is one of the lowest moments in the history of our football, so I hope and expect that solutions can be found with people who have the desire to build and create a virtuous cycle for a better future in football. Federal training centres for young players need to be developed, as well as for coaches. Work needs to begin again to recover a lost path. And it can be done, there are people who can do it: in the football world, and outside it as well."
