Pep Guardiola ct of'Italy: Gianni Rivera blurts out

Leonardo Bonucci’s proposal to hire Pep Guardiola as the new technical commissioner of the Italian national team to shake up the entire movement is causing discussion among fans and insiders. Among the voices against it is that of former AC Milan champion Gianni Rivera, who in an interview with AS harshly panned the idea.

“Guardiola? No, please. He is not Italian. Ancelotti trains Brazil? No look, I have no doubt. He has to be Italian. Period. It is logical, because he knows the reality better than someone from outside. You have to choose very well. Have a criterion and be precise. Other mistakes no, please.”

The former Golden Boy went on to explain that he would be ready to give his contribution to raise Italian soccer again: “It was logical and normal that all the federal leadership resigned. Now we need to rebuild it, but we need people who know how to move in this world of soccer. I already have a program ready and I am here if needed. Have I been asked for advice or suggestions? No, they haven’t called me lately, honestly. I proposed myself, but they wouldn’t listen to me.”

“What mistakes have been made in the last 20 years? It’s hard to point to a single reason to explain something so complex,” said Rivera, who then pointed a finger at agents.”

Where has basic technique been lost? I know of cases of kids who could have had a great career, but the parents had no money to pay the agents-you know how it is. In these cases they can’t even try. They get lost on the way. It’s a disgrace. The future of the sport cannot be in the hands of agents. There is no technique now, because the kids have no money to pay these managers. So they don’t play and they don’t improve. Maybe there is also a technical problem of coaches, who no longer work to develop technique the way it used to be done.”