All at DRSC,
Well what a eye opener. We landed in Milan at 5.30 am and by the time the Milan airport decided we could have our bags back it was 6.30am andf 3 degrees !!!!! We climbed aboard a bus and got to our home base at Ovada at 9.30am. We organised rooms and schedules and had lunch (traditional fare of pasta, meat and salad and lots of it) and it was then off to get on the bus for the first game at Valenzana.
You could tell the guys, though stating 'I'm OK' were really struggling. Passes went astray, tension levels were high, ability to hit the mark and make an interception simply didn't get there or succeed. In addition, an unfavourable pitch (hard as stone but grassed) short and narrow and against a team that trains 4 times a week and plays a practice match every week in addition to its scheduled match plus 40 matches per annum, meant we were under the pump from the start.
Two extraordinarily bad goalkeeping errors and poor marking meant 3-0 after 15 minutes. A short break and a slightly different structure and we were in the game a little more and the end score was 5-1. Essentially, we'll forget about it.
There was a lot to learn and admire of the other team. Always moving the ball with two touch supporting one another and being available for the return ball and absolute confidence and strength on the ball - very impressive and this from Serie C2 youth. The GISS boys themselves were impressed by these factors and given they are here to learn, it'll stand them in good stead. But I'll make this bold statement - I would love to play this team again after 3-4 days acclimatisation.
We had huge stamina issues that lead to 8 guys falling asleep at the table at dinner and the whole team crashed out at 9.30pm. We awoke at 7.30 and went for a walk prior to breakfast and the 10.30am training session was the first where we saw 'glimpses' of the guys abilities and the fact we were slowly acclimatising. Another training session at 2-30 to 4pm and we were nearly, nearly looking back to normal.
We now have Friday and Saturday with two training sessions, a Sunday morning session then we go off to watch Sampdoria - Palermo in a Serie A match. Then 4 games in four days against Savona, Genoa, Torino and Juvehntus youth teams. What a test and experience!
Talk again soon.
Regards,
John
Update Monday 19/3 - We had a tactical session delvered by Roberto Briatta on Sunday morning prior to leaving for the game. He is a well connected coach in the northern italian province of Liguria and has placed young players at, for example, empoli, Valenzana, Geno and sampdoria. His ability to explain and make so simple to understand how the Italians use and function in 4 4 2 formation was incredible. And to then see a game and see what he said function was fantastic.
Ciao for now and next update will be after the 2nd of the four games this week.
