Former Fatih Karagumruk player Colin Kazim-Richards claims that Italian coach Andrea Pirlo allowed the Italian players to smoke in the locker room, even at half-time.
Pirlo was in charge of the Turkish team during the 2022-23 campaign, where he had several Italian players at his disposal.
“We got a lot of Italians that smoke,” Kazim-Richards told the Filthy Fellas podcast.
“In Turkey you can (smoke), it depends who the coach is. But last year with Pirlo they were allowed to smoke and they’re smoking non-stop before the game. Cigarettes. Proper. Like half-time sitting and smoking. Pirlo talking, they’re down there smoking.
“It’s a totally different culture. You understand. So it’s not me saying something as a shock factor, but it’s me saying like that you can do it legitimately.”
During Pirlo’s campaign, the Italian players included Fabio Borini, Matteo Ricci, Andrea Bertolacci, Emiliano Viviano and Davide Biraschi.
There have been many players in Serie A who smoke, including Gigi Buffon, Gianluca Vialli and Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Pirlo is now back in Italy as the coach of Serie B outfit Sampdoria.
Colin Kazim-Richards
Nobody likes a snitch!