The conclusions of an Italian » The physical trainer of the national team explains why the romanian football destroys itself

Diego Longo, the physical trainer of the national team, surprises you by the way he considers football. He would like this to be a positive interview, but many of the things he says accuse: "If you say to the players from Barcelona to make a training camp in the mountain, in the snow, you will see them laughing into convulsion".

Răzvan’s mirror
Listening to him, you have the feeling that you discuss with Răzvan Lucescu. You notice that most of the ideas are from the spotter’s discourse. "The force of the group", "Attitude", "the star that scarifies for the team" are the principles that, perhaps, determined Răzvan to appreciate him.

The Italian of 34 years old has been living in Romania since 2005. "How did he arrive at Rapid? Marco Onetto, the physical trainer from Dinamo, recommended me when Răzvan said that he had needed an assistant", explains Longo. Then it followed the unforgettable adventure in UEFA Cup and the other good moments at Rapid. Then his promotion and the good story from Braşov. Now he believes in the success of the national team….of Romania.

"In vain you run a lot if you are not good on the field"
- Diego, why a Romanian football player looses in most of the cases a one to one duel with a player from Europe?
- But why do you think that when Rapid and Steaua dominated UEFA Cup such a thing didn’t happen? And we met football players such as Dirk Kuyt or Van der Vaart, to give only two examples.

- Exactly, why? We are talking about physical training, ofcourse.
- We cannot talk only about physical training. That duel we were talking about can be won with many basic things. With a health food, with a good tactic training...

- Why tactic?
- Because, in vain did you run a lot if you are misplaced, the team is long and your adversary is placed correctly on the field and the only thing he needs is to run a half of how much you run. In vain you have a powerful car if you drive from Bucharest to Braşov through Piteşti. I drive on the normal way and I will arrive before you.

Why is Mourinho great?
- From here comes the force of a team?
- Even from this thing. But the mental factor is very important. And at this point people make a lot of mistakes in Romania, I am sorry to say this. The players are always attacked by the sponsors, by the officials... they feel pressure towards them and they make wrong decisions or they do not assume the responsibility and do not accomplish a great thing. The Romanian football destroys itself. Look what happens at Dinamo!

- What happens, in your opinion?
- I am sorry, but I cannot afford to deliberate. I will just give as an example the dialogue Turcu -Dolha. Mourinho is a great coach because the team does not feel any pressure. He liberated the players from the psychical point of view.

Manual for how to work with the football player
- How do you realize that?
- We do not discuss about what happens at TV and in the press. I understand the journalists, they make their job. But the men in the football cannot always appear on TV to argue and transmit this state to the team. Then, you have to make the trainings pleasant, the atmosphere shall be good, this always makes you available. If I see a player that makes something with reluctance, I do not ask him to repeat that obsessively. I give him another exercise that he likes, that makes him be focused. Why shall I force you to make something you do not like? I would better help you. If you run another 100 meters, this won’t change anything. It seems unreal to me to make the players run one month in the snow and to believe that this keeps you in a good shape until the autumn.

- Again arrows towards Dinamo?
- I repeat I cannot afford to comment, I am sorry if they sustain my example. Let’s talk positively: we were analyzing Rooney, he lost the ball and he was thinking about how to help his team in the defensive phase. The same did Messi. He recovered a ball at 20 meters from his goalpost and Pique hugged him and kissed him just like in a goal.

Răzvan, Oli, Protasov, Zenga
- Ok, this happens at the seniors. But do the players come well-trained from the juniors?
- Here are a lot of bad things. The children do not have where to train. And their coaches, when they want to prepare themselves, they are condemned by the leaders. Abroad, if a coach wants to go at the counsels, the club supports him, understanding that they shall profit of this process. Here, he is criticized because he misses the team. The young coaches bring a good mentality.

- What coaches made you a good impression among those you met in Romania.
- Of course, Răzvan. But also Olăroiu, Protasov, Zenga. Look, I was telling earlier, that I haven’t seen these people to appear on TV in order to argue and swear themselves. They are they transmit something.

- What do you thing about the training camps that took place before the matches?
- Let’s not give anymore examples about what we make, with Răzvan. Does Guardiola introduce the players in the training camp for three days? Does he beat them? If you trust him, the player will reward you.

Surprised by Tamaş, correct with Mutu
- What players from Romania impressed you by their attitude?
- Ilyeş, Măldărăşanu, Nae Constantin, Roman, Surdu, are boys whom I worked with and they give 110 per cent all the time. They are the last when leaving the training, they are communicative and they are open-minded.

- Mutu?
- I haven’t collaborated very much with him, but at the little training he made exactly what I told to him. I know that even at Fiorentina he trains very well.

- What about other players, from the national team?
- Rădoi, Chivu, Goian. Look, when I met Tamaş I thought that people who had told about him all kind of things were saying nonsense. He is available, he is communicative, he is a big team player. He left from here and he separated from all the scandals. And the result could be seen on the field.

- Can these players qualify Romania? Or they are not enough?
- It depends on many things, but I am sure that we will manage.

Marian Rada, history teacher
What is doing an Italian in România? How did he adapt here? Diego admits that he came here to make his job and earn money. His first friend was Marian Rada, while he was at Rapid: "He thought me a lot of things. About the history of Romania, about your habitudes, about what I shall not say when I discuss with someone. He told me about museums, I visited almost all the museums in Bucharest. I also visited Peleş, and then the Bran castle".

Borsch by Isăilă
Diego doesn’t have problems with the food in Romania; Bucharest is full of Italian restaurants. He eats frequently at Quattro Stagioni and at Trattoria Il Calcio. It is difficult to identify his favorite dishes, he orders anything in the menu, and he tastes a glass of Pinot Grigio from Toscana. But he also met the Romanian food: "I was impressed by the quenelles borsch. When I was at Braşov, Isăilă invited him at his home and his wife cooked for us. She makes a delicious borsch".

Master in sports psychology, interview with Del Piero
Two years ago Diego Longo gave his master in sports psychology, at the University from Lyon. One the topic presented at the exam was a study about Alexssandro Del Piero, whom he considers fascinating. "I met him when he was not playing at Ranieri. It was very clear that he didn’t suffer at all, this could be seen in his attitude, he was always joking, he discussed with the stuff after the trainings, he had the pleasure to greet the fans who came to see him. I asked him and he told me: «Do you think that I don’t suffer? But it seems to me that this way shall I behave this way I am, positive»".