Nesta's interview at Gazzetta
Nesta has an interview at Gazzetta on 04 Jan 2012. This is the English version, translated by CA. Many thanks!
It’s interesting to read. He talked a lot about Milan, football , and his best friend Pirlo:) He is very smart and charming. Forza Nesta!
NESTA: “I HAVE NO DESIRE TO QUIT
AND ALSO MILAN WILL CONTINUE TO WIN”
January 4, 2012 � First question, first certainty: Alessandro Nesta will not
stop playing football at the end of this season. “We’re taking it one month at a
time and we’ll see how it goes. I have no desire to quit. If it was because of
my injury problems, then I would have quit ten years ago.”
We were asking because your contract is about to expire, and it seemed to us
that you didn’t intend to keep on playing.
“I do have the intention, but there are two parties involved. At the end of the
season, I’ll talk with the club and we’ll decide.”
Pirlo left last year. Do you miss him?
“I felt bad, but I didn’t take it out on Allegri or Galliani. A time comes when
you have to choose. Work relations end and that’s what happened with Andrea. I’m
happy because he’s at a great club and fighting for the scudetto. Andrea will
always be a friend, he would have been a friend even if he had gone to Inter.”
Somebody said he was finished as a player.
“I don’t know who would say that. Pirlo has natural talent and one doesn’t lose
talent. You can lose strength or speed, but not talent.”
It seems Allegri is the one who sent Ronaldinho away, who put aside the old
guard, who treated Pato the wrong way, who neglected Inzaghi, who let Pirlo
go…
“Who says these things? I’ve never heard that before.”
Let’s say there are whispers.
“I’ve always felt comfortable with Allegri. He’s always let me play and I’m part
of the old guard too. I can only say good things about his management. If
there’s been some misunderstanding with someone, it will pass.”
Thiago Silva with the captain’s armband, did that surprise you?
“It wasn’t a shocking decision for me. We’re talking about one match. Ambrosini
is the captain and everybody knows it.”
Are you surprised that your friend Pirlo’s Juve is at the top of the table?
“To us, Juve is the toughest team we face, along with Inter. In Inter’s case,
the key will be the derby: winning the derby might give them their coup de
grace, but if they win, it might give them a kick start. Milan remain the
favorites for the scudetto, but Juve are working well and it’s not surprising to
see them at the top of the table.”
Then tell us something that caught you by surprise.
“Nocerino’s goals and easy insertion. He’s a good player, but even he didn’t
expect to start off so strongly with Milan. In general, I haven’t seen many
surprises. Maybe Udinese have been surprising. They’ve sold a lot of players but
they’re still up there, maybe even doing better.”
You talked about Pirlo’s talent. Who’s the best player you’ve ever played with?
“There have been many: Veron, Mancini, Sheva, Kak�… Pirlo is in the top three.
Ronaldo was definitely the best player.”
From the outside, how do you see the Nazionale doing in the Euros?
“It’s taking shape. There was no generation gap. Now you have people like
Balotelli, Cassano, De Rossi, Marchisio who can take the team far. But the
difference between winning and losing is close to nothing: we won the World Cup
on penalties. But the team is strong.”
Is there also nothing between winning and losing the scudetto?
“No, the scudetto is a different matter, and the Champions League is a bit like
that too. Against Arsenal it will be tough. Arsenal are stronger than Tottenham,
who eliminated us last year. But it’s a squad within our reach, and if we find
ourselves in the right situation, we can go far.”
Do you think Milan can win the Champions League?
“I think Milan can do better than we have in the past few years, when we were
knocked out sometimes due to bad luck and sometimes not. But Barcelona are from
another planet. Real Madrid have tried to beat them in every manner, practically
without succeeding.”
Are Milan playing well according to you?
“We’re having fun and I think the public is also having fun. Milan attack a
lot.”
But they say you’re relying on Ibra…
“Ibra takes out three players. According to you, is Barcelona the same without
Messi?”
Who’s the best coach in the world?
“Facts and numbers say Mourinho. I like Guardiola, then there’s the old guard
like Ancelotti and newcomers like Allegri and Conte. The law of years also
applies to managers: sometimes you’re number one, other times nobody remembers
you.”
Speaking of years: perhaps Cassano’s image has changed a bit.
“Antonio did a bunch of dumb things, but he’s a good person at heart. If you
enter his world and understand it, things become simpler. Arguments last two
minutes with him: he’s instinctive.”
Is Ibra also instinctive?
“Yes, he argues and forgets. We’re all friends here.”
Maybe that’s because they don’t want to get hit.
(Laughs) “That’s a good way of seeing it.”
Will you get a boxing ring ready if Tevez arrives?
“Tevez is small, Ibra is much bigger. Nobody hits anybody else here. It happened
with Onyewu, since then nothing.”
Have you ever been in a fight with someone?
“I’ve often been close to it, with teammates too. When the tension on the pitch
increases, anything can happen.”
But you seem so detached…
“No, no, I often argue with my teammates and opponents. I talk a lot when I’m on
the pitch. I don’t talk much with reporters, it’s my character to prefer to stay
on the sidelines.”
What would you like to change in your career?
“I’d like to eliminate some injuries. I’ve had too many.”
Do you ever think about the future?
Boh. Not right now. I’ll get a coaching license, I’ll start at the third level.
Do you see yourself as a coach?
“I’d like that.”
Do you want to return to Lazio, and generally live in Rome?
“No. Rome is perhaps the most beautiful city in the world. I have my parents and
my loved ones there, but I’m comfortable in Milano and I’d like to continue to
live here.”
Are you surprised Maldini still hasn’t returned to Milan?
“He’s enjoying his life and his family. Sooner or later he’ll do something.”
Has Italian football become a pizzeria or is it still a gourmet restaurant?
“To me it seems to be a restaurant. We had Eto’o until last year, Ibra decided
to return. If our league continues to attract the best players, it’s working.”
Honestly, not too many new big names have arrived.
“Ibra is more than enough.”
Nesta, when it happens, how would you like to end your career?
“In a decent manner, in a descending phase, but not dead on the pitch. I think
I’m intelligent enough to realize when the right time has come.”