Gabriele Cioffi has replaced Luca Gotti as an interim coach at Udinese and starts with a big test against league leaders Milan on Saturday. ‘I want to transmit the energy I have inside me’.
Udinese decided to sack Gotti, who was replaced by his own assistant, and the first week for the new coach is a big one.
Milan arrive in Udine after back-to-back wins to nil and Cioffi admits it has been a special week due to the changes at the Dacia Arena.
“I want to transmit the energy that I have inside me,” Cioffi said at a press conference. “The main aspect to take into consideration is to take responsibility.
“I cannot transmit these things just by looking people in the eye. Taking responsibility for the situation we are in is the first step towards the future.”
But Cioffi is starting with a bang and prepares to face the current leaders in Serie A, but he stressed it could help motivate the players.
“It’s an important external motivation,” he said. “All matches must be read with an internal motivation, the public, the staff, the teammates can push you, but if there are no internal motivations, those pushes are useless.
“Milan are a team that have been working together for three years. I expect a match of suffering, resilience, and desire. I certainly don’t expect a walk.”
Cioffi praised Milan coach Stefano Pioli’s work in Via Aldo Rossi and stressed the home side must be attentive on Saturday.
“It’s a team that has solutions with different characteristics. The same principles of play with players with different characteristics,” he continued. “Our level of attention wants to be very high.
“It’s a steep start, but the challenge to face is the one of yourself. What I want from me, from the season and those 90 minutes.”
Udinese are currently 14th in the league with 16 points from as many games, and are on a winless run of four games.