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Serse Cosmi: Simply Cosmic
It may have taken him a while to get back into the game, but Serse Cosmi is still one of the most truthful and passionate characters of Italian football. Serafino Ingardia spoke exclusively to the new Brescia Coach
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Serse Cosmi is one of those people who just lives for football. He breathes calcio all week through, waiting ardently for those 90 minutes of madness. Looking at him it is hard to see any kind of similarities to the arrogance of Fabio Capello or the cheeky attitude of Roberto Mancini. Cosmi is a people’s Coach, someone who built his career working on the field as if it were a factory – with the same pride and with the same rage. Perhaps this is part of the reason why he became so popular with the fans during his campaigns at Perugia, Genoa and Udinese.
After one year away from the touchline you have received the unexpected call from Brescia – how did you spend these past 12 months? We noticed you became a regular as a TV pundit.
It was hard to stay out for all this time, but it was useful for me to rediscover myself as a family man and not just as a Coach. Last year’s axe truly saved my life because I realised how important the people around me were and how much they loved me. I am talking about my wife Rosy and my children. It was nice to work in television, and I had the chance to follow all the games, but I still missed the Sunday action.
You have restarted your career in Serie B after an unlucky adventure with Udinese, where you also had the chance to experience the Champions League. Why Brescia?
I couldn’t stay away any longer. Now I am happy to return with this young squad at a club which in the past has done incredibly well. I believe in this project and I have to thank President Luigi Corioni for this opportunity.
What went wrong at Udinese? You had a few difficulties, especially with players like Antonio Di Natale and David Di Michele, but surely it wasn’t all your fault…
In 17 years of my career I have always started and ended a season with a club, except at Udinese where I paid more than anyone else. For the team it was convenient to say that I couldn’t handle some of the star players, but really I have dealt with much worse. President Giampaolo Pozzo said the truth a few days ago: ‘It is right to release players who don’t want to stay’. Obviously I would have liked him to say that when I was still there.
You’ve worked under fiery Presidents like Enrico Preziosi and Luciano Gaucci. What was it like and did their presence and interference make life tough on you and your squad?
They are two completely different people I have to say. However, they like to do football in a certain way. It was understandable that, like many other Presidents, they wanted to be protagonists. I owe Gaucci so much since he was the one who discovered me and gave me the chance to step into Serie A. He cared about me and my family and for this reason I will always be grateful to him as a person and as a President.
What did you think about the Federation’s decision to appoint Roberto Donadoni and Pierluigi Casiraghi to the Italian jobs? Would you argue that you have more experience than the both of them put together?
I have got a lot of experience, but this is true even about many of my colleagues. When selecting the new Coach the Italian Football Federation decided to go for an alternative choice, which may be the right one. We will see if the results will stand on their side.
The tragic events of Catania have shattered Italian football for the second time in one year. What’s your solution to this matter?
I believe that only people can change this situation. It is false to claim that these things happened because there were no rules. The problem is that people do not respect them. It was fine to cheat in matches, so it is normal for a fan to throw stones at a policeman. Footballers, Coaches and directors have to admit their responsibility for the behaviour of their fans. However, the supporters are not only criminals – the majority of them are people who love football.
You have never hidden your passion for Roma, do you still harbour ambitions of one-day working for the Giallorossi?
I used to support them when I was a child. However, I didn’t set my career in order to become their Coach. It is true though that Roma is a dream for many of us.
You are famous for being the Coach with the cap. How many baseball caps do you own?
I have hundreds of them, but I didn’t buy all of them since I have received a few as presents. Collecting caps is one of my hobbies, but this doesn’t mean that I spend all my savings on them.
While at Perugia and at Udinese you coached Saadi Al Gheddafi. Do you think he will ever fulfil his dream of becoming a star? And there was also a stage when Gaucci was considering signing a female player for your team…
Saadi was a really nice guy. Unfortunately, considering his age, he won’t have a chance to play at a higher level. With regard to the female player, it was another provocation of Gaucci against the FIGC President Franco Carraro, but nothing serious. However, I would have never played her.
Who do you think is the best Italian player at the moment? And abroad?
Francesco Totti is undoubtedly the best in Italy. For the foreigners Ronaldinho is the number one, while Diego Armando Maradona is the all time greatest.
English fans love Coaches who display passion on the touchline, would you ever consider taking a job in Britain?
It would be a dream. I like English football and I believe that they have some ideals that we have lost in Italy. Their culture would surely add a lot of positive things to my personality. On one hand it could keep my passionate way of approaching football and on the other it could improve some of my negative aspects, giving me the chance to learn the language. I would run there if I could.
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| Interviewed: April 2007 |
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