Dejan Stankovic warns Sampdoria have to ‘change the mentality, because I did not like the attitude’ seen so far this season, quoting advice from Jose Mourinho and Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The former Lazio and Inter midfielder signed today after Marco Giampaolo was fired, coming into a side with their worst ever Serie A start to a season, picking up just two points in eight games.
Stankovic has been a huge success in his coaching career at Red Star Belgrade, winning three consecutive League titles and two Serbian Cup trophies, but resigned in August when failing for the third time in a row to reach the Champions League group phase.
Now he returns to Italy as a tactician at Marassi, replacing Giampaolo on the bench of a side rock bottom of the table.
“I did not come here because the club has two points in the table. I came here for Sampdoria,” Stankovic told the official YouTube Channel.
“In Serbia, we grew up watching Sampdoria, first with Vujadin Boskov, then with Sinisa Mihajlovic and Vladimir Jugovic, and finally with Sinisa on the bench, also watching them in the European Cup.
“It’s a pity I wasn’t a ball-boy for that game with Red Star that was played in Sofia. I came here for the club, not for their position in the table.”
There are several former Samp players currently running the club, including President Salvatore Lanna, but Stankovic has been calling around his old friends.
“I spoke to Attilio Lombardo, who is a spectacular person. I called Emiliano Viviano, met with Angelo Palombo. I’ve not heard from Roberto Mancini, but I saw his son the other day. I also spoke to Sinisa Mihajlovic.
“When he arrived here as coach he was more or less my age, 44-45, along with Nenad Sakic who experienced this as both player and assistant manager, now he returns for the third time with me. I hope he can have the same success as when he was Sinisa’s assistant manager: first he saved the team from relegation, then had an upgrade and improved a great deal.
“We just want to work, Nenad is a great person and I am sure he’ll give me a big hand.”
Speaking to Mihajlovic has added value this week, because Stankovic’s debut game on the Sampdoria bench will be on Saturday evening against Bologna, the side that fired Miha last month.
It has been a disastrous start for the Blucerchiati, who picked up only two draws in their eight Serie A games so far, their worst ever beginning to a top flight campaign.
“The only thing we can be sure of is that it will be another battle and we need to suffer, but those who don’t know how to suffer also don’t know how to rejoice and win,” continued Deki.
“I saw the team, we’ve got the material, but need to change the mentality. There are ways to lose a game. I have to be honest, with all due respect for the work of others, I saw the last game and I did not like the attitude.
“We mustn’t be afraid of the strength of teams attacking us. We must know what we are defending. Because pride is important and it is priceless. I come from a country that suffered a great deal and the first thing to remember is that we are never afraid of how strong the opponent is, we focus on the importance of defending our pride. The pride of the club, these colours and ourselves, these things are priceless and we must be scared of nobody.
“We need to take a good look at ourselves. I have faith. I can’t make promises, but I want to work and transmit that enthusiasm I have inside me, all that strength and determination within me, because sometimes the team can reflect the character of its coach.
“With help from everyone, we can get this ship back into calm waters. We must treat every match as if it is a final. And as my old coach and friend Jose Mourinho said: ‘You win Finals, you don’t play them.’ This is how I see football too.”
Bologna aren’t exactly doing much better, with just one victory all season, coming off two consecutive defeats under new coach Thiago Motta without scoring a single goal, so it’s a real relegation dogfight already.
“We go to Bologna, they are not in great form either, but we need to focus on ourselves. The final result will be a consequence of how we step onto the field. There are two days to prepare, but in a big club, two days are enough.
“We need to take responsibility and the results will come.”