Alessandro Bastoni looked back at some of the most important coaches in his career, the difficult moments he’s faced and what he tries to teach young players.
The 23-year-old Italian centre back is a key player in Simone Inzaghi’s Inter squad, having made 12 appearances across all competitions this season, and he’s continuing to grow. Bastoni is now a regular in Roberto Mancini’s Italy team as well and has proven himself to be one of the most talented young Italian defenders currently plying their trade at the top level.
Speaking for Monsignor Dario Viganò and Valerio Cassetta’s book ‘It’s not just effort, it’s love’, Bastoni first discussed which coaches have made a key difference to his career and life.
“To name just one coach would be ungenerous towards all the coaches who have coached me. Each one has left me something important, a mark, a value that I will always carry with me. Then clearly on the big stage of Serie A, Gasperini was fundamental for me.
“Why? Someone who calls you into the first team when you’re 16 years old you remember him. And at the time I was playing for Atalanta, which was already aiming for Europe.
“I give him credit for the courage of having bet on a young man and the merit of having believed in him, perhaps even before I did. Knowing that there is someone who believes in you, it is easier to repay the trust.”
He then gave his thoughts on Antonio Conte, who won the Scudetto with Inter before departing last year.
“With him came the consecration, coinciding with my arrival at Inter. It’s as if I had made a leap in quality. Conte is a dragger, a motivator, who makes precise requests to his players trying to transfer a winning mentality. I owe him a lot.”
The 23-year-old Italian defender commented on some of the difficulties he’s faced during his career.
“My life has always been made up of sacrifices, shared by my family, who have always supported me. Without a solid family base, you struggle to achieve certain results. Then my father was also a footballer.
“He still says today that he was stronger than me, recognising that he didn’t have my mentality. He advised me, supported me. I can say with joy that I have a great relationship with him. I also have a good relationship with my mother. I always feel her close.
“As a child the days were tough. I went to school early and only came home late at night after training. A lot of hard work.
“Bad moments? Bad moments can happen, an unforeseen problem or an injury. You have to be good at reacting, you have to find the strength within yourself and cling to your faith. To achieve a goal you have to work hard. You don’t always succeed, but it is important to try.”
Finally, Bastoni discussed the responsibility of being a good role model for growing Italian youngsters.
“It’s certainly a pleasure. As a child, I too admired footballers who were active at the time. Athletes do not always have exemplary behaviour, but it is important that they send out positive messages.
“To the youngsters of today I can tell them to be committed, to have fun, but always to have a plan B, an alternative to take and not to give up studying. Education is fundamental.”
lets see if he can improve, defending/positioning hasnt been the best