The New Viola Coach`s Presentation: `Florence Feels Like Home; I Begin This Journey with Great Pride. Full Trust in Kean, Dzeko, and Gudmundsson.`
Stefano Pioli outlined his ambitious three-year plan for Fiorentina, aiming to win a trophy and secure a spot in the Champions League. These objectives are fully aligned with President Rocco Commisso`s desire for growth. Pioli, under contract until 2028, returns to a city he knows well, expressing deep personal motivation: “Florence feels like home, and now I truly feel ready to embrace this exciting challenge with Fiorentina, which I begin with great pride. The length of my contract reflects this ambition, as we want to try and win a trophy and return to the top. I spoke with Commisso; he is very motivated, a direct, clear, and genuine person. Our relationship started on the right foot. He asked me to grow and improve, and we hope to achieve that immediately. We`ve taken the necessary time to work. I will certainly give my all to my players, and they must give their all to me. I don`t like easy tasks.” He then revealed a motivational tactic: “Allegri didn`t include us among the Champions League contenders. I wrote that phrase on the whiteboard for my players…”
Positive Energy
Pioli`s connection with Florence runs deep, having played there from 1989 to 1995 and previously coached the team from 2017 to 2019. He now restarts with the same enthusiasm: “From the first call I received, I had a positive feeling and understood that returning was the right thing to do. I feel ready, and it`s the right time. I had no doubts whatsoever. All my experiences to date have brought me to a higher level, and now I accept this role with responsibility towards the club and the city. I know there`s a lot of expectation, but I`ve found a great deal of human depth here. I had never seen such a beautiful training center, and all the conditions are present to do exceptionally well. I crave challenges; otherwise, I would have made a different, more comfortable choice.”
The Challenge
Pioli also expressed his eagerness to compete against top-tier coaches this season: “I was almost the only one missing, and I wanted to be here, which is why I`m so happy. There are Conte, Allegri, Gasperini, Sarri, Italiano, and many others with whom it will be great to challenge again.” Pioli will have several high-level players at his disposal, from De Gea to Gosens. He`s more than prepared for the top level, having coached Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia last season: “It was an honor to coach him. I don`t know if he`s the greatest in football history, but he`s a champion, a legend. I had a very good relationship with him; he`s an incredible professional. He has an obsession with playing and scoring goals. His entire day is geared towards the match, full stop.”
Quality Play
Fiorentina under Pioli will be balanced and concrete, but also focused on creating exciting, quality football: “I want to field as many quality players as possible, and we have many. Dzeko, Gudmundsson, and Kean can coexist. That`s absolutely the idea, but it also depends on their ability to play together. The more quality we have, the more we hope to win. The players share my ambitions and emotions. I talked a lot with Moise [Kean] recently, but I don`t know how much I influenced his decision to stay. The club showed him great trust. He`s very strong, and we are both satisfied. I told Edin [Dzeko] that at the end of Ibra`s first year at Milan, there was no certainty he would stay, and I had asked for Dzeko at Milan. He`s a quality and very intelligent player; he will give us great help. Gudmundsson? He`s an intelligent player; he knows where to go and how to be decisive. If a player is `anarchic` in the offensive phase, that`s perfectly fine. The important thing is to have players with good legs and quality.”
What`s Missing
Until the team returns from its England tour, Fiorentina`s transfer market will be on hold, as the coach first wants to assess and test the players currently working with him before making his choices: “It`s too early to understand what pieces are missing. We certainly start from a solid base. We want to raise the level, though I don`t yet know what that level is. We must enhance all possible aspects, physical and technical, to be as competitive as possible. A playmaker? We shouldn`t talk about rigid game systems anymore. Everyone must attack and defend together. I need to understand what I have among the midfielders, and then we will try to understand what`s needed. All market decisions are shared, and it`s important to have many Italian players, but beyond nationality, it`s crucial to have strong players.”
Davide Forever
The most profound emotion emerged in the remembrance of Davide Astori, who passed away on March 4, 2018. He was Pioli`s captain, and for Pioli, wearing the armband carries a special significance: “I spoke with Luca Ranieri last Monday and asked him if he feels he can bear such a great weight, because my captain was of a very high level. Davide had a profound impact on my life, and I will never stop thinking about him for everything we experienced together.”
