Lazio Coach Gattuso Lauds ‘Great’ Gasperini & ‘Genius’ Lotito
Gennaro Gattuso had only words of praise for his Roma counterpart, Gian Piero Gasperini, as well as Lazio president Claudio Lotito.
Lazio Thriving Under Gennaro Gattuso
The 48-year-old has been enjoying a sensational start to his stint as Lazio head coach, even though it began with a shocking Coppa Italia elimination at the hands of Mantova. The Biancocelesti have been unbeaten since the start of the Serie A campaign, registering four wins over Bologna, Genoa, Udinese, and Venezia, while sharing the spoils with AC Milan.
The Aquile are thus at the top of the Serie A table alongside defending champions Inter Milan, and their arch-rivals Roma. The two capital sides won’t cross paths before December 13, but both sets of fans are already bracing themselves for what should be a special edition of the Derby della Capitale.
Gattuso Has Great Respect for Gian Piero Gasperini
During his appearance at the sports festival in Trento (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Gattuso offered his respect to Roma head coach Gasperini, whom he considers the most influential manager in Italian football since Arrigo Sacchi.
Aside from being a great coach, he has always been there for me during my difficult moments. He called me when I was at Milan. He told me to hang in there and that he liked the way we played. He has always been there. We are a little alike; we are strong characters.
I have always had positive moments with him. We will definitely go out for dinner together, 100%. It’s an honour. After Sacchi, Gasperini belongs to that category of coaches… He has brought something new. Many of my colleagues try to do what he does, but we rarely manage to do it. He has certainly brought about a change.
Gattuso Delays Roma Derby Talks
That being said, Gattuso is banning all premature Derby talk at Formello, instead urging everyone to focus on the upcoming game. Lazio will host Monza next (October 11), and the Calabrian admits he has a poor record against their manager, Ivan Juric.
When I hear my players talking about the Derby, or even the kit men or physiotherapists, I stop them immediately. There are still important matches to play; then we’ll think about it when it arrives and talk about it. Being ahead of Roma? It means nothing.
We need to prepare well for the match against Monza. We are coming off an unusual long break, and we have been at Formello with few outfield players. I can’t wait for everyone to return. Monza are going at a thousand miles an hour.
My record against Juric isn’t good. I remember Napoli-Verona above all. If we had won, we would have finished second, but instead we finished fifth. It was an incredible blow.
Gattuso Opens up on Relationship with Claudio Lotito
Gattuso insists he and Lotito almost never argue, while hailing the unpopular Lazio owner as a genius.
The idea that I’m always arguing with the president is a myth. As a player, I did some silly things, but since I’ve been doing this job, I rarely argue. I like dialogue; we do things together and discuss things. I’ve argued very little. I like talking to genuine people, people who keep their word when we agree on something.
I don’t like being taken for a ride. That’s the kind of relationship I have with Lotito. Then, when things don’t work on a day-to-day basis, you have to talk about them. He’s a genius; he has incredible intelligence. Then there are the dynamics within a team… you have to talk about them, otherwise the problems emerge later.
Lotito has four or five phones, and he’s difficult to manage (laughs). He’s the president, and his door is always open. It’s better for him to tell the players things to their faces, to come to the training ground and talk there. It’s better that way than reading something in the newspapers.
Gattuso Relished the Opportunity to Bounce Back at Lazio
The Milan legend is grateful to Lazio for giving him the opportunity to turn the page after a heartbreaking experience with the Italian national team.
Before Lazio, I had come from an experience that cost me and hurt me. The national team was an incredible blow. I wanted to start again immediately. I had been abroad for a few years and I like it. I like immersing myself in different cultures. They were important experiences.
I said no to Lotito two or three times; this time I said yes because it was a team in difficulty and I thought the players could give me something. I became convinced. We have started well, but the road is long.
But I’m proud of the lads, who are giving so much. We had our training camp at Formello, and it was incredibly hot. It was very difficult. Seeing the lads train like that, without giving up and without complaining, I sensed that there was something special.
