Ukraine boss Andriy Shevchenko reveals “I feel Italian” and hopes to emulate his sizeable impact on Serie A as a Coach.
Shevchenko scored 175 goals in 322 appearances over two spells with Milan, and the former striker admits he is using Antonio Conte, Max Allegri and “Sacchi 2.0” Maurizio Sarri as his references in management.
“Italy-Ukraine in the playoffs? Hopefully not. I love Italy, I feel Italian,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Ukraine boss Andriy Shevchenko reveals “I feel Italian” and hopes to emulate his sizeable impact on Serie A as a Coach.
Shevchenko scored 175 goals in 322 appearances over two spells with Milan, and the former striker admits he is using Antonio Conte, Max Allegri and “Sacchi 2.0” Maurizio Sarri as his references in management.
“Italy-Ukraine in the playoffs? Hopefully not. I love Italy, I feel Italian,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I’ve had your country in my heart since I was a child. I went to a youth tournament in Agropoli when I was 11 years old, and I was enchanted by the people, the way of life, everything.
“I came home with the conviction that one day, I’d live in Italy for a long time. Avoiding them in the playoffs over a question of heart aren’t feelings of circumstance.
“Italy’s the university of football from a tactical point of view. Serie A proposes new things every season, and I look at [these innovations] a lot.
“Tassotti? Mauro has always been a point of reference for me, also on a human level. We understand each other with a single glance.
“Future in Serie A? I’m proud to have written pages of history in Italian football as a player, and I’d like to do the same as a Coach. That’s for certain.
“A World Cup without Italy would lose flavour, I’m convinced they’ll be there. Either way, I don’t see an Italian crisis.
“In my opinion, their football has gone back to growing in recent years, thanks to their exceptional pool of Coaches.
“They always bring through top [coaching] talents, but above all, they produce new ideas. They’re coaches with different characteristics but still revolutionary: I’m thinking of Conte, Allegri and Sarri.
“Sarri? He’s like a Sacchi 2.0: Napoli really are a small revolution on a worldwide scale. It’s no coincidence that Italy have won in every aspect aside from the individual.
“They’ve always shown collectivity, organisation, philosophy and strategy.
“This year, in the race for the best FIFA Coach, there were Conte, Allegri and Zidane: two Italians and one that became a great player in Serie A.
“I assure you that everyone would gladly avoid Italy at a World Cup or European Championship: you can beat them, but they can also break you down mentally.
“Did you see the effort that Germany made against Conte and his lads at the last European Champions League? The Germans were only better technically.”