New Cagliari coach Walter Zenga believes he’ll be in a unique position to help his team through an unusual season. “I’m used to training in 45C heat.”
The coronavirus pandemic prompted a lockdown from March 10, meaning that in the best case scenario, the Serie A season won’t finish until mid-July, with the Champions League and Europa League in August.
“I’ve already prepared everything, from training with social distancing to playing games in July and August,” Zenga told La Gazzetta dello Sport magazine Sportweek.
New Cagliari coach Walter Zenga believes he’ll be in a unique position to help his team through an unusual season. “I’m used to training in 45C heat.”
The coronavirus pandemic prompted a lockdown from March 10, meaning that in the best case scenario, the Serie A season won’t finish until mid-July, with the Champions League and Europa League in August.
“I’ve already prepared everything, from training with social distancing to playing games in July and August,” Zenga told La Gazzetta dello Sport magazine Sportweek.
“I worked as a coach for six years in the Middle East, where they play in August in 45C heat. I know how to do it, right?”
Zenga was appointed to replace Rolando Maran on March 3, but due to the postponement of fixtures, he is yet to make his debut on the bench.
He turns 60 on Tuesday and has had an eclectic career, managing everyone from the New England Revolution in MLS to FC National, Steaua Bucharest, Red Star Belgrade, Gaziantepspor, Dinamo Bucharest, Al-Nasr, Al-Shaab and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In Italy, he was coach of Catania, Palermo, Sampdoria, Crotone and Venezia, but only twice completed a full season.
“I cried twice as a coach, when we lost the Romania Cup with Nacional and when Crotone went into Serie B. That time, I locked myself in the dressing room and couldn’t stop crying for 20 minutes.”