Atalanta youngster Giorgio Scalvini believes the Premier League is the best there is and would like to play there at one point in his career. The 19-year-old centre-back spoke with Il Corriere dello Sport about the differences between the leagues, his admiration for both Roberto Mancini and Gian Piero Gasperini and the importance of young players being allowed to feature at the highest level:
“I am very happy to have collected all these appearances, I have to thank the coach and the club for the trust and the opportunity they gave me. All this I think was thanks to the teachings that Gasperini and the staff have given me.”
“The Atalanta academy? I think it’s one of the best youth sectors in Italy, if not the best, from a footballing point of view it is truly avant-garde, there are coaches, people and managers who from a physical, technical and tactical point of view, take care of every aspect to perfection. But I think the most important concepts are those of behaviour and education: this is something they care a lot about, in addition to making you a footballer, the Atalanta team makes you a man, this is something really important.”
“Should teams have more faith in youth? It’s been talked about for a long time, a lot of young people are playing here, all my national under-21 teammates
All my under-21 teammates have continuity between Serie A and Serie B, and there is talent in Italy. It’s true that youngsters play less than abroad, but I believe that youngsters have their opportunities here too, and you have to be good at seizing them. Then there are teams like Atalanta, for example, with Gasperini, he has a lot of faith in young players and is therefore able to launch more of them than other teams.”“Gasperini and Mancini? I have a very good relationship with both of them. They have this characteristic of letting young people play without worries, without giving them pressure. What they have in common is that they talk to all the players in the same way, they give the same responsibilities to a youngster as to an adult. This gives you security, they make you feel like the others.”
“The Premier League? For me it’s the best league there is, because of the intensity. Once in my career, I don’t even know when, I would like to play there.”
