First official outing for Fabio Pisacane as Cagliari coach. Announced in recent weeks, the new rossoblù coach was presented today in a press conference at Unipol Domus, together with the sporting director Guido Angelozzi .
"Life often gives you incredible things: this is one of them" , Pisacane's thoughts on these ten years in rossoblù, given that he arrived in 2015 as a player (and then stayed as coach of the Primavera). "You all accompanied me on this journey and you know that I wanted to stay at all costs in a team that, for me, has always represented a point of arrival".
Pisacane is clear about how he approached this appointment: «There must be a healthy fear. I had the fear of not being up to the task, but it has subsided: it is the same fear I had when I was entrusted with the Primavera ». For him it will be the first time as a coach in Serie A, after winning the Coppa Italia three months ago with the Under-20 rossoblù. «Last year I tried to transfer what was transferred to me: let's not forget that there are many players coming from the youth sector. Let's continue with the mentality that has already been seen, I am here to continue with something that has already given valuable players to the squad».
Pisacane will have a staff that is partly new and partly that he already had in the Primavera. "I tried to choose men who, first of all, can give me a hand from a human point of view. In light of their background, see Giacomo Murelli, they will also be able to give me a hand on the pitch. I have ambition, you know that I didn't come to be Guardiola but that I am a boy who has always tried to put dedication and sacrifice to reach great goals . If you add ideas to this we can do something important".
In the last two seasons, Pisacane has worked closely with Ranieri and Nicola. « Cagliari used 3-5-2 and 4-4-2, my idea is to put the players in their best position to make them feel at ease », his words on the module. « Surely the principles will be the ones we will work hard on, with the staff we would like to build an identity: to be compact and courageous, even without the ball ».
Already surpassed 6,000 season ticket holders, significant numbers in just over a week. "It's a big responsibility, especially for the love I feel for these colors. We have an entire population that pushes us behind us." Pisacane scored his last goal at Sant'Elia, in 2017: "But from now on we have to think about what will happen. I don't promise anything, except what I did as a player: serve Cagliari, not use it . The goal is to make our fans proud at home and away."
Among Pisacane's first missions is to relaunch some elements that did not perform at their best last season . «Gaetano needs to express his potential without being tied down by tactical constraints. We will try to enhance him and make him responsible, then the pitch will speak. Prati too: in these years he has not expressed his real value, then the pitch will decide for him too».
Makoumbou, who has already left, is instead at Samsunspor in Turkey. «He is a player who has certainly given his contribution in these years. I take this opportunity to also say goodbye to Viola, Augello, Palomino and Jankto: great players who should be thanked, as well as Davide Nicola for the result of salvation which is never banal . In agreement with the director Angelozzi we are getting to work so as not to be caught unprepared».
Pisacane has worked for two years at the helm of the Primavera, now he will be able to help the many young players present. "I will take obsessive care to ensure that they grow in the best possible conditions", he says. "Many have written to me or I have met them in these weeks: everything we have built is there intact and will remain forever". He will meet five of his former teammates: Deiola, Marin, Pavoletti, Rog and Zappa. " We shared the locker room with them, achieved objectives: we have a shared objective, the roles change but not the respect ".
As new arrivals – while waiting for the market – there are Idrissi and Veroli, returning from loans. «They have already had experience among the big boys and it would be a shame not to try to keep them in», says Pisacane. «I don't consider them youth sector players, then Liteta and Vinciguerra I know very well and they can give us the energy we need. Maybe during the journey they can surprise everyone and prove me right for the qualities I see in them: they will be players who will follow us in retreat , as well as someone else who will allow us to wait for those who have to respect recovery times».
What was done in Primavera for Pisacane is now in the past, the goal is to think about what will happen from now on. «We will try to build something with the staff. I think it is banal to talk about the past: now a delicate and new mission awaits us , we will try with great humility to put ourselves at the service of the boys to give them some ideas and methodology».
Before the press conference, Cagliari wanted to express "its condolences for the tragic and sudden passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva , embracing with affection the families and all the members of Liverpool and Penafiel FC". The two footballers died during the night in a tragic accident in Spain . "Andrea Cossu told me, it surprised us all a bit: we join the family, on behalf of the club, in this moment of deep sorrow", Pisacane's message.
