The son of art, his father Davide was coach of the national two-wheeler team, is in his first season on the bench of the Emilian club: “We want salvation as soon as possible, we know our value”
Mother Roberta was a volleyball player, father Davide was a famous cyclist and coach of the national team from 2014 to 2021. But Stefano Cassani has always preferred ball to both volleyball and cycling: “Pedaling is too tiring, I prefer dribbling and scoring. I played among the amateurs, but I wasn’t a phenomenon. Better to train”. The current Carpi coach is 36 years old and is having his first experience on the bench among professionals. He accepted the challenge of the Emilian club this summer, now the red and whites are fifth in group B of Serie C with 24 points and in full playoff battle: “Last year with Lentigione in D we finished in third place. In the 22/23 season however with Victor San Marino we earned promotion from Eccellenza. It was the right time to move up in category”.
Two victories in the last two against Rimini and Pontedera, third-place Arezzo is only at +4. What is Carpi’s objective?
“The team must reach safety as soon as possible. In our group there are many larger and more structured clubs, we try to do our best match after match.”
The red and white club has been missing Serie B for seven years. In the city someone is already hoping for it.
“We only think about giving space to the young people and working well during the week. We are calm, we know our value.”
After a long apprenticeship between youth and amateurs, your first opportunity in Serie C arrived. Has your approach to work changed?
“There are many differences between the categories: from the preparation of the matches to the physicality of the players, up to the pace of training. Every day I study the opponents to analyze strengths and weaknesses, then together with the rest of the staff we prepare the video analyzes for the group. We also use the GPS to modulate the workloads and the drone to take advantage of another observation point during the daily sessions”.
Is there a coach who inspires you?
“In recent years I have been enthusiastic about Gasperini’s Atalanta and also De Zerbi’s Sassuolo. Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen has also been able to express great football. I was lucky enough to observe two great coaches like Maurizio Sarri and Stefano Pioli up close.”
Did he try to steal something from their ideas?
“We met Sarri both when he was coaching Napoli and when he returned to Juventus. I was surprised by his humanity and great willingness to answer the questions of a young man who has always dreamed of being a coach.”
His career on the bench started with Pulcini.
“I started training children after finishing playing football. I would never have reached the top. With the little ones from my Solarolo, 4 thousand inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, the spark went off. By chance I moved to the youth team, in 2021 I was Alessio Tacchinardi’s assistant at Fano”.
Son of art, sport in its DNA. But he never wanted to get on a bike like his father Davide.
“My dad has always been an example. He started from a small village and managed to win in the sport he loved. Today he often comes to the stadium and gives me some advice on managing the team. But I’ll tell you a secret.”
“He never gave me a bicycle. Even as a child I was clear: ‘I prefer football’. And that’s how it went. He won two stages of the Giro d’Italia, then became technical commissioner of the national cycling team. Yet, we never went out for a ride together.”
What, in your opinion, is the most important teaching he passed on to you?
“Self-need. I always ask my players not to settle and avoid alibis. It is essential to seek constant improvement by setting small daily goals.”
Is this the secret of Cassani’s Carpi?
“In a season the objectives can change every Sunday. Time will tell us where we can get, let’s stay focused on the present. The climb has just begun.”
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