Frosinone coach Eusebio Di Francesco spoke about the betting scandal in Italian football, saying there should be a distinction between betting and gambling. The 54-year-old coach was speaking to the press on the eve of Bologna v Frosinone and addressed the ‘scommesse‘ case which has seen a number of high profile players involved. He began by offering an update on his team, who have lost just once in their last seven matches:
So many fans in tow for Bologna, a source of pride? Will we see less quality on the pitch for the benefit of greater consistency?
“As far as the fans are concerned, we are proud to have so many of them following us and we will try to do well on this occasion too. Bologna is a strong team, they have achieved good results. They have a great coach, great players, great prospects. There are established players like Orsolini also. It won’t be an easy match, we always say that, the draw with Inter shows that they are a combative team’.
How is the team. Will there be any news?
“News I don’t know, the night will bring advice. I’m happy with the way the team is training and with the growth of those who have played less. I missed Cuni, Kvernadze and Oyono, who played all the minutes. Harroui, Gelli and Caso will not be in the match. All the others will train and we’ll evaluate after finishing. Kaio Jorge trained yesterday and the day before with the team, he is recovered. There can always be changes depending on the opponent. Harroui hasn’t started working on the pitch yet, for his and Gelli’s recovery time we have to evaluate”.
Could the break have been penalising considering the positive moment the team was experiencing?
“For me nothing has to change. The fact that we trained so much together is a positive aspect, the team was able to recharge its batteries and work with only three national teams out”.
What advice should the night bring?
“I think Bologna will change little, with four defenders. They already did well at San Siro, maybe now they have few solutions to great players. We must always try to do our match as they will want to do it too. There will always be a game within a game and we must be ready. From a tactical point of view I have already prepared everything, I just have to choose the men’.
“We feel it and we like to go around and hear that people enjoy it. I hope this can continue for a long time. Regardless of the results, the important thing is that there is enthusiasm. This enthusiasm has to be maintained and it is primarily up to us to do this, we have to be a team, especially in difficult times.”
A clarifying sleep ahead of the match, especially for the defence?
“It can be, but also in midfield and in attack. The uncertainty I was talking about yesterday is the best thing I can have at the moment. Then intuition or quiet sleep can help. You always rely on who starts from the beginning but the five changes help a lot because you change half the team.”
Tough weeks for football. How do you take to the field and give a message of clean football?
“You have to differentiate between betting when you do something to alter the result or when you talk about gambling. For me it has to be taken with a grain of salt and competent people have to talk about it. It’s different when you pay someone to alter the result of a race, that I think is even worse. I’m talking primarily about my son who is a footballer but prefers reading rather than betting, and this is because as a father I brought him up that way. Now I hear so much false moralism. It’s right to make people understand that there are mistakes that must not be made but the message must be constructive and not destructive’.
Does the comparison with Thiago Motta fascinate you?
“I like Bologna because it’s a dynamic team that doesn’t give points of reference with a moving striker. I think Thiago Motta is an excellent coach, among the emerging coaches he is one of the best and it is no coincidence that he has been approached by big clubs. He is proving to be a very good coach.
Kvernadze has a lot of competition but without Caso tomorrow in Bologna can he have space?
“He is training very well, he has grown a lot from the point of view of consistency in training. He still has to grow from a technical-tactical point of view, especially tactically. As I said the other time Lorenzo Pellegrini played with me at Sassuolo after a long time. I’m giving an example of how he stood up to the staff, Garritano in the long run won his place as a starter and this is all thanks to him. I like to have this type of player’.
Who offered lunch during the week?
‘How much did they eat (laughs, ed.). Lunch was paid for by Soulé for his first goal and by Mazzitelli for his first double in A”
What is the difference between coaching great champions or young players?
‘Established champions are more tactically ready but are less accepting of novelty, while young players have a head full of little notions, so if you can propose something they like, it is easier to get into our heads.
Frosinone goal cooperation@ How do you interpret this against a team that has conceded few goals?
“Bologna have only conceded six goals, they defend very well. Very compact team. Something I would like my team to do better too, and I’m convinced we’ll get there. Scorers? I’d like everyone to score, I like the team concept. Clearly to reach salvation there must be some players who reach double figures”.
