Ex-director Tare: ‘I risked my life for Lazio’

Former Lazio sporting director Igli Tare reflected on his successes and failures in Rome, his work with Claudio Lotito and his relationship with Maurizio Sarri.

The 50-year-old Albanian left the Biancocelesti at the end of last season, ending a 15-year spell as sporting director. He experienced many ups and downs during his time in the capital, finding talents like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto but signing flops like Denis Vavro and Vedat Muriqi.

Combined with Lotito’s reluctance to invest too heavily, fans started to grow increasingly tired of Tare as his time with Lazio progressed, with many unhappy at his persistent focus on Eastern European football. He was replaced by Angelo Mariano Fabiani at the club.

Speaking on page 14 of today’s Corriere dello Sport, Tare first discussed his relationship with Lotito.

“President Claudio Lotito is a great mind, he has incredible determination and willpower. They are his strength, but also his greatest flaw. I’m grateful for all the things I learned.

“He called me at 2 in the morning: ‘Are you sleeping?’. ‘Did something happen?’ I answered, and he talked for half an hour.

“There were more arguments than moments of peace. But he has extraordinary strength, he forgets within ten minutes.”

He was asked who decided his exit from Lazio in the summer.

“My choice or Lotito’s, what does it matter? They said he had sent me away, lies. I made the decision, and he shared it, he was fine with changing paths, directors and doing something else.

“A year ago, at the beginning of the season, I told him in advance that I would leave in June, that the one that had just begun would be the last.

“I only asked to go out with honour, with dignity. That’s what happened. As with a marriage that ends naturally.”

The Albanian director challenged the belief that he clashed regularly with Sarri.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Sarri has never been a problem, but a solution. His character was nothing new. I had informed myself before hiring him, I knew a lot and I wanted him to coach Lazio.

“Before the penultimate match of the last season, in Empoli, he wanted to talk to me. We were together for three, four hours. He used kind words, from the heart, I hope, he recognized a lot of merits in me.”

He was asked if he believed Sarri could close out his career with Lazio.

“Knowing him, I’d say no. However, I wish it for Lazio and Maurizio. Above all for Lazio.”

Tare remembered some of his work in the transfer market.

“Felipe Anderson, Milinkovic-Savic, Luis Alberto, Lucas Leiva, Klose, Lulic. But also Brocchi, my first signing. I am very close to Cristian, with authentic affection, an honest, respectable man.

“The complexity of inserting a foreigner into a new team dimension is underestimated, some struggle more than others. It is often a question of details. But Vavro and Muriqi suffered Sarri’s football, but before leaving they wanted to greet him and hug him.

“I remember that Maurizio told me: ‘I was in Napoli, I gave my life to some, no one has ever respected me like these two guys’.

“Caicedo? I’m stubborn, when I believe in a player I don’t drop an inch. Inzaghi called me crazy when he saw him, and yet he helped us so much. Giroud was ours, only that at the last minute, Chelsea got in the way and didn’t let him go.

“I tried everything. That was the only thing that reason. Great guy, Olivier. That year we had a great attack with Immobile, Correa and Caicedo.”

He gave his thoughts on Biancocelesti talisman Ciro Immobile.

“When he set the goal record, I told him ‘Ciro, you will only realize what you have done when everything is over’. He is the greatest scorer in the history of Lazio. His humility is both strength and weakness.

“He needs to feel the trust of those around him on a daily basis. A few years ago, he went through a similar period, I burdened him with a joke, always the same: ‘Call Ciro and send his cousin home’.

“The Lazio centre-forward is a heavy role, but I have unlimited respect for him, only his honesty will make him understand when it’s time to retire.”

Tare highlighted how hard he worked in the Italian capital and what he risked.

“This long story is my pride. I gave all of myself to Lazio, I even risked my life for them. I had major health problems years ago.

“The doctors suggested that I move away, to think about myself and to save my skin. Nothing, I never went out, I never wanted to break away. Luckily everything was resolved in the best way, the club were close to me.”

Tare discussed his plans for the future.

“I’m a citizen of the world, open to everything. Italy is home, in Rome I, my family and my children will continue to live. Roma have an important history and a crazy fan base, but never as beautiful as the Lazio one. Our choreography in the last derby was exciting.

Finally, Tare spoke about Jose Mourinho’s work at Roma.

“Nothing or anyone in football surprises me anymore. Mourinho is an asset, the number one in world communication. Nobody knows how to manage football moments and situations like him.

“His history and that of Allegri are unassailable, the results speak for themselves. First places count, no one ever remembers second places.”