The former Pulga and Tomasini spur the coach: “Time is running out”
CAGLIARI. Cagliari has complicated their life after the unfortunate slip of Marassi. The question marks are different, but two emerge in particular: will the rossoblus be saved? And Mazzarri is the first person responsible for a situation that has become tangled when there are just 4 days to go until the end of the championship? Ivo Pulga, hero of Ranieri’s Cagliari and coach who was the protagonist of two red and blue saves ten years ago, and Giuseppe Tomasini, the free man of the 1970 Italian champion team, speak about it, who do not skimp on criticism of the coach and hope that he will give a move in the crucial phase of the tournament. «Cagliari, after winning against Sassuolo, and having deceived everyone, got into trouble again in Genoa – underlines Pulga -. A game in which he had always been in control, and which he lost due to a trivial lightness in defense ».
«It seems absurd to me to go from a good match like the one against Sassuolo – Tomasini intervenes – to the defeat against Genoa. There is no logic, something is wrong ».
The coach’s fault? Mazzarri ended up in the dock for the schizophrenic trend of the championship, between many lows and few highs. «Responsibility of the technician? Well we know Mazzarri – says Pulga -, he has always played with the 3-5-2 and waiting for the opponent, to then start again, even when he was coaching Napoli, in which he had a super squad. I was on the bench with Cagliari when we lost 1-0 at the San Paolo on a penalty: we played the game. Here, I would say that in these four games he should bring the team onto the pitch with a more aggressive attitude. Time is running out, we can no longer afford to give points ».
Tomasini also has something to say about the technician. «He is the first to be accused – he says -, even if I do not overlook the faults of the players. However, the Cagliari squad is superior to that of the other teams that are fighting not to be relegated. The technician must accept his responsibilities. Too much waiting, in games where much more could be done. And then also with Genoa I didn’t like all those changes: 4 players, with the situation that had crystallized, caused confusion and lack of concentration at the crucial moment ».
But now, beyond the mistakes, we are at the neck of the funnel. Four games, time is running out. How will it end? «The outcome of the struggle for salvation is difficult to predict – admits Pulga -, the direct clashes still scheduled and the explosion of the Salernitana complicate things. Let’s say that Cagliari should score 7 points to be sure of being saved, and I think they can do it too. Otherwise, especially if he lost in Salerno, fate would also be linked to the results of the other teams involved, ranging from 30 points for Sampdoria to 22 for Venice ».
Tomasini, on the other hand, relies on his heart and his faith is practically unshakable. «The team has many problems, but I have one certainty: Cagliari will be saved. In one way or another he will put together the points to be able to stay in Serie A again ».
The first step is to take the three points against Verona, in the match that will be played on Saturday in Cagliari. «Not an easy race – foresees Ivo Pulga -. In this league, Verona has shown what it’s made of. He has also put in difficulty teams that are the most popular. At Cagliari this time, as in the following three games, we need to rediscover team spirit and the desire to sacrifice. And then I hope that Mazzarri, who has already managed to save Reggina in the past, will be able to charge him properly ».
«You have to take the field against Verona as if it were a final – suggests Tomasini -. And I would tell Mazzarri to deploy Rog and Nandez immediately. They are two players of very high value who, if put from the start, can help Joao Pedro and the others to point the game in the right direction. For the rest it is above all necessary to put your soul into it, without that you cannot reach any goal ».