the interview
The sea, in the sun of 37 degrees, inspires relaxation and all that joie de vivre typical of Brazilians, but in his depth Marcio Amoroso is also experiencing a small note of sadness. Football? Yes, his passion has to do with it, but it is not the bright future of his son Matteo, increasingly on the launching pad at the Internacional, that worries him. It is Udinese, his “beloved” Udinese to whom he gave ballistic pearls and unforgettable goals (42) in the 105 games played from 1996 to ’99 that made him shake his head. And so, since he considers himself a friend of the Friulians, here he is speaking as a true friend on the eve of the match against Milan.
Amorous, Udinese have changed their technical leadership after having changed faces several times in the last few games, with worrying ups and downs. Is it all the responsibility of Gotti?
“I won’t go into the matter, but I think it’s too comfortable for the players to play in Udine, in an ideal city that doesn’t put pressure on you, with one of the best stadiums in Europe and a club that makes everything available, like that of Pozzo. . Having said that, Udinese does not lack players, but attitude, knowing how to play in two essential ways: you have to know how to close games, managing without risking anything and then hitting on the counterattack when you are ahead, and knowing how to play openly. when you are below ».
Your thoughts on the transition from Gotti to Cioffi?
“If Udinese really wants to go back to fighting for Europe, they will have to invest in an expert coach.”
We remain with the needs. In your opinion, what is Udinese missing?
«The most difficult aspect to manage is the lack of Gino Pozzo, his distance from the team, and I speak from personal experience. In my day he was always there and he made himself heard, he supported us in difficult moments ».
Do you remember one in particular?
«January 1997, we play at home with Sampdoria and we lose 5-4. We went to retreat, we all remained united and calmly found our balance and our convictions. Let’s turn with the right mentality and off to unexpected goals. Gino was there, he really cared about it ».
Amoroso, Milan is on its way with a true leader in Ibrahimovic, and not just for his age. Perhaps this factor is also missing from Udinese?
“Having a player of Ibra’s experience is also very important for his age, because a young player who sees him playing cannot fail to give his best, and Ibra is an example because he still plays at a high level at his age”.
You arrived in Udine at the age of twenty-two, and as a young foreigner who did you find as a guide?
«First of all the Friulians, the people, true friends like Michele De Sabata and Alessandro Scarbolo, who have always supported me. The point is that now I don’t think foreigners can get to know the fans as well as in our times and you learn a lot from the people. I understood that I had to adapt to the context and not vice versa and I changed my mentality. In the team, then, there was no lack of guides including Calori, Bertotto, Poggi, Rossitto, and then there was the Baron ».
Causio team manager?
«Franco was like a father to me, he knew my qualities and gave me the right advice. It is clear that with these assumptions a large family was created. People and figures like the Baron are essential in society ».
Amoroso, before returning to his memories of Udinese-Milan, among the current protagonists there is Beto …
“He jumps well in his head like our Bierhoff, even if he doesn’t look like him, and I think that if a striker is strong in the penalty area, the team should play for him looking for a game system that allows him to have five, six opportunities at match. Having an attacker who can already reach ten goals at the end of the first leg is a resource to be exploited, so it must be looked for a lot ».
In midfield, however, it seems that quality is lacking …
«But it’s not just Udinese’s problem. Today we no longer see the attacking midfielder stopping the ball and throwing a throw of thirty and forty meters. Everyone wants to play close and are afraid of making a mistake, but if you don’t have an attacking midfielder or a player who enlightens the attackers, “they are starving”. Unfortunately, the mentality of Italian football is this, and players are favored ».
Like his compatriot Walace …
“Walace has a lot of strength, and it shows, at the expense of technical quality”.
Your memories of Udinese-Milan?
«We played beautiful matches and it seems to me that we lost two to one at San Siro. I remember a masterpiece goal with a chest stop and a goal after passing Ayala. I have always kept my goals, but I preferred to score against the big teams because they saw them all over the world. “
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