«We worked well in a full week, a typical week, now it’s time for answers, I have almost all the personnel available to face a team that is not new to the tournament, given that Latina has already played a great championship, last”: so Giacomo Modica presents the general themes of today’s match which will be played at the “Franco Scoglio”. A race that the Messina he wants to win, after the miserable haul of one point collected in the last three races. «The opponent knows what they want, they are trained well, they play good football but we need to be the “sprint” reality that we showed in the first seven days again.. We’ve been struggling with results but so far we’ve only managed three matches. Sorrento, Brindisi and Taranto. We have to have faith in ourselves, then every match is a story in itself. I expect a proof of intensity and pride.”
The line is drawn, the rest is in reiterating what the broader objectives are: «This team must have fun through the game, save itself as soon as possible and then see how to compete with the others. We are Messina and we never forget it, but at the same time it must be recognized that 7-8 teams have set up something different technically and we have to dismantle it through other means we have at our disposal.”
Like the size of the crowd, for which the coach reserves praise: «Few people have a cheer of this magnitude, in eleven days the team was never touched, only encouraged, showing affection. These are things that we see and we don’t want to disappoint them. There is all this context but it shouldn’t lead us to think that a defeat is drama or a victory is exaltation. We must live by doing our own and taking advantage of our characteristics. We’ve been together for almost a hundred days now, but the work hasn’t been meticulous for various reasons, despite laying the foundations for understanding what we did right or wrong.”
Training
Finally on the individuals: «Zammit is a young man of quality but being a foreigner he is not an under, he has fit in well for the time he has had available, with predisposition. But I have to find space for him as an over, after having identified the four unders. As for Florence, we wanted him and we know his past but we live in the present. He had a serious problem, I’m waiting for it but he must have the desire to play well in the two phases of midfield. I want him “full” to make the difference, he is managing himself in training as he is. I want and demand more from him. Until I have him, he will be like the others. I’m not crazy, if I see a good one I’ll put him. Just as I have removed Emmausso several times, because I know him and I have to stimulate him. Or Franco, who I waited for, he missed a few games but he’s always there, he’s on point.”