In the same way that I had to follow an Italian manager here, I can imagine that it was not easy for an Italian manager to follow me at Porto.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I followed an Italian manager and it cannot be easy when you follow a manager who thinks very differently.
The Porto players were with me for two and a half years, they believed in me, in my methods, in the way we do it. The next day I go and a manager arrives who works completely differently.
The players make the manager, it's never the other way.
It's not easy when you have a new manager because you have to try and adapt yourself to him, the team, training sessions, and the game.
I always got on well with Roberto Mancini and never had a problem with him. Every manager has their own way of working, tactics, and style of play. As a player, you do what the manager says. There are misunderstandings, but generally, everything was fine under Mancini.
I just wanted to get back to playing attacking football after my time in Italy. It was a little difficult at first but the atmosphere and the fans were just fantastic.
When I went to Juventus, I was young, but in training, I had legends like Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram marking me. I had to work hard to get my respect.
In Spain and Italy I would not have a life among the fans. Everyone wants to touch you, own you and approach you. I try to be as kind as possible to all my fans, but in those countries I could not do it. There they ask too much from you.
At Barcelona, I had the best players ever, and they helped me to be a successful manager.
Playing against an Italian team is harder than all the other leagues. The Italians won't score lots of goals, but they won't concede many, either.
No opposing quotes found.