Brighton and Hove Albion coach Roberto De Zerbi admits he will return to Italy, but isn’t sure if it will be ‘in one or five years,’ while Sandro Tonali ‘has what it takes’ to shine in the Premier League for Newcastle United.
The former Sassuolo, Benevento and Shakhtar Donetsk boss is travelling the world for his career and is in no hurry to make a return home, although he knows it will happen eventually.
“I would like to return to Italy in future. I don’t know if it’ll be in one, two, three, four or five years. Not too many, because coaching is a stressful profession,” De Zerbi told reporters.
“In any case, that is my objective, we’ll see where it is. I don’t consider it a priority now, as I would like to continue coaching and enjoying myself the way I have done in recent years.”
De Zerbi was at the Coverciano training ground to give a lecture on his style of football to former Serie A players, coaches and directors in training.
Coverciano is where future tacticians study to get their coaching badges and without passing those exams, they will not be allowed to sit on a Serie A bench.
“I have enjoyed myself from the start in this profession, not just this season. When things go well, there are even more expectations and pressure, a bit like when I received compliments from (Manchester City manager Pep) Guardiola.
“We Italians have that special passion, just look at how well our teams did in European competitions this season. Every year there are more interesting coaches coming through, like Paolo Zanetti at Empoli and Alberto Aquilani at the Fiorentina youth team. Vincenzo Italiano no longer qualifies as an emerging talent, he’s shown what he can do.”
De Zerbi will soon be joined in the Premier League by Milan midfielder Tonali, who is on the verge of a transfer worth €80m to Newcastle United.
“I think and hope he will do well, Tonali has everything it takes to make his mark in England too.”