Paolo Rossi
July 2009ZANI gets an insight from the man
When you retire from
the game, it’s important to just learn to relax and enjoy what you’ve
achieved as a player. Absolutely not, now I live with such calm and
tranquility, these things become a pleasure for me. It used to be a
problem, a real ‘weight’ for me, to live as a footballer. I was always
a very private person and still am, but now, when someone stops me in
the street and wants to chat, about the 1982 World Cup, or whatever,
it’s a pleasure to relive those times. It’s always great to be
recognised as a representative of Italian football for a lot of people,
it’s not a pressure. Not now. Now I live such a tranquil, relaxed life, such things are a pleasure to me. I have to admit it was a problem for a few years, when I was a player, when you feel like you have no private life.
The only thing I miss about not playing are the games themselves. The smell of the grass on the pitch, the stadium, the expectation, the waiting for a game to begin. It was something that was always around me since I was a small boy and then suddenly after 30 years of these sensations being a part of your daily life, of your whole being, they disappeared. It hit me hard at first that those feelings were no longer there. It was tough for me at first, I missed that type of working, of that lifestyle. I missed football as a job. But really nothing else. I miss working with my friends. You’re all together. It’s that style of life that I miss. When I stopped playing I immediately thought about other things I could do with myself. I love growing wine out on my vineyards in Tuscany. It’s something that I planned to do while I was still playing. I haven’t switched off from football entirely, I still really enjoy my television work with Gianluca Vialli at Sky, covering Champions League and Serie A games, it keeps my passion in contact with the game.
I have other professional interests now, but I do recognise that football is such a fundamental part of my life. It’s a part of my life that I’ve never really abandoned, that’s always there. It was fantastic, it was extraordinary, but it’s over, in terms of life always going forward. It has to go forward, if it doesn’t you’re in trouble.
I always hoped to be a player, I had a certain quality as a kid, which made me think that I could do it one day. It stays a dream until you make your full first-team debut. It’s still very difficult to achieve, it stays a dream. It’s only when you actually run out onto the pitch and play that first ever game as a professional that you achieve it. You spend more time dreaming of becoming a professional than actually playing as one, that you have to treasure it. You’re always hoping, but it’s so difficult. Culminates when you play your first professional game.
I have to thank so many people, all the trainers I ever worked with. All my team-mates, you learn something from everybody, you pick things up all the time. Even if it’s something seemingly insignificant at the time, it all adds together. You should never stop learning. If I had to name one person, it would have to be Enzo Bearzot, the azzurri coach in 1982, because he had such faith in me at such a difficult time, a moment that was particularly pleasant in my career. He’s a special person for me.
I’m not sure if there’s such a thing as my heir in the Italian game today. It’s difficult to find someone with the same characteristics as me. A real opportunistic player. Maybe I suppose Pippo Inzaghi is the most obvious similarity to me as a player in some ways. In a few things.
Italian football still is important, it’s still a player. The important thing is the squad. Italian football has to think about investing in footballers. Which means money. Great players are the key to great football, it’s that simple. Probably only Inter Italian team able to invest the necessary amounts. English football is a modern football, where foreign coaches bring different approaches, melting pot of the game, it’s where modern football enjoys its biggest stage. They’re still competitive, Italian clubs. English game, become stronger, more tactical, perfect balance.
Not lacking too much, football has become a game for the big investors.
Paolo Rossi was talking to Matthew Barker
© Matthew Barker/ ZANI
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