Gennaro Gattuso looks back over his ill-fated Italy experience where ‘incidents went against us,’ but has taken that passion to Lazio as they host Cagliari. ‘When we play with enthusiasm, it’s better.’
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Sunday at 14.00 GMT (15.00 CET).
This is a big opportunity to go clear at the top of the table, as current joint leaders Inter face a difficult Derby della Madonnina this evening.
Meanwhile, Cagliari are coming off three consecutive defeats, including a 4-2 in this very stadium to Roma on Tuesday evening.
Gattuso keeps Lazio fire burning
“We want to give a sense of consistency to what we are doing, and our fitness tests show the players recovered well from the midweek round,” explained Gattuso in his press conference.
Considering his remarkable start to the season with Lazio, is the coach revitalising his reputation after the ill-fated Italy experience and World Cup play-off defeat in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
“Football is made up of incidents, and they went against us that day, but the great thing about this sport is it gives you another opportunity. The important thing is to learn and improve, not get depressed. I am fortunate to have support from friends and family, including a wife of 30 years, she was always there during my toughest moments.”
That passion Gattuso has for the sport can at times be counter-productive, but it fuels him.
“I get fired up when playing cards with my son, I always want to win. If I don’t feel that buzz, I may as well spend my time going for walks with my wife and dog.
“Whenever I got hammered by results, I still had that fire inside me. I feel alive with these things, and I thank the fans for the spectacle they put on, it felt almost like a Scudetto party on Tuesday. The lads deserve the credit for that, they created this enthusiasm, and we hope to continue it.”
Lazio too have been a revelation considering how badly they struggled in recent years, but Gattuso is not getting ahead of himself.
“Our target is 40 points. I am not used to seeing the table like this, but we have a road ahead of us and we need to be prepared. What I can say is that if we play with enthusiasm, it’s better. There are 29 games to go, a lot of points up for grabs, then we’ll see where we end up.”
What he has brought is a different mindset, the kind that singled him out in his playing career.
“I see players who don’t hold back and think with one mind, those who come off the bench do so in top gear, so I am proud of how they are all training and working. Naturally, some are a little sadder, or even annoyed, but it’s part of the job.”
Cagliari have lost three on the bounce, but had a strong start to the season and upset some big teams.
“Cagliari know how to sit back and are then damaging on the counter-attack. The most important thing is that when we do lose, and we will eventually, it’s because our opponents did better and not that we underestimated them.
“We’ve got to keep our DNA and mentality going, then if we are beaten fair and square, we’ll take our hats off to them. If we fall asleep or don’t go at full speed, we concede, like we did against Sassuolo. That’s the secret.”
Has President Claudio Lotito spoken to Gattuso about the way this season is going?
“I speak to the President often, he will again eat with the squad tonight before the home game, speak to the players and show his presence.”
