The number 1 of our referees, awarded this evening at San Siro, speaks: “Selector? I still don’t know what I’ll do, I could still referee. After the matches I listen to Jovanotti”
– Milan
The Campanati Award “for me is like winning the Golden Lion in Venice: I thought that having won the “Lo Bello” could be the best, but this, thinking about who won it, well, it’s the best”. Break. “You see – continues Daniele Orsato with his world assistants Giallatini and Carbone at his side -: when we went to Qatar we didn’t think about this award. We thought about not going on holiday… So about going as far as possible. Doing well obviously. The award excites me like the first call-up received in my career.” The No. 1 of our referees receives the “Giulio Campanati” Award tonight at San Siro – referee and manager at international level as well as guide of The Hague from ’72 to ’90 -, a recognition that goes to the best referee of the World Cup established by the Association “Friends of Giulio Campanati” together with the Aia section of Milan (Meazza/Campanati) with the patronage of FIGC and Gazzetta dello Sport. Last night, Orsato gave a lesson to the whistlers of the Hague in Milan. Starting like this: “A great referee is within you and everything depends on you alone: don’t be afraid of making mistakes, ever.”
Orsato, what should be said to the younger ones?
“That they believe in themselves and sacrifice more. Always. Work and sacrifice are always the right ingredients. And you have to study football. It’s very important. In the FIFA meetings I happened to go to, there are former players with whom I can talk about everything. Once Cambiasso made me understand certain differences, seen by the player: watching football, understanding the players, is also part of the referee’s growth.”
You have said several times that you would like to “train” referees: what does this mean?
“What Gianluca Rocchi is doing today: being like him, Rizzoli and Collina first, I also quote Braschi. Therefore understanding your players, clearly scolding when necessary and the opposite when a referee has done well. But not only this. Everything comes trained in the head.”
How many people ask you if you will really be the designator next year?
“There are many, but I have the utmost respect for Gianluca, and deep esteem, for saying what I will do. Also because I don’t know yet. The other day I saw an interview with him in which he hopes that one day there could be an option for the prize for “referee as “best on the pitch”. He sees beyond. It would be beautiful as well as appropriate, especially for young people: it would give them an amazing boost.”
Is an Orsato-Rocchi pairing conceivable in the future?
“Let’s see. In the meantime, I’m learning from him, and it’s not even the first time I’ve said it. Besides, theoretically I could go on refereeing for another few years, given that the limit isn’t there, so we’ll see…”.
Another proposal: can’t the footballer, like in basketball, raise his hand for admitting a foul?
“I think it’s utopia, given that someone already does it anyway… Utopia because there is such a competitive trance that sometimes players really don’t realize they’ve committed a foul.”
Orsato, how do you load up before the race?
“I’ve had a playlist for over twenty years. It starts with Dire Straits, continues with “Sweet Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, then other songs including the Rocky soundtrack. And it ends with “Every Damned Sunday” which I listen to just before go to the field.”
And when he’s on the pitch he has another ritual, right?
“A young referee caught me. “In my opinion, when you lift the ball just before entering the pitch, you are greeting your family”. That’s how it is. A gesture all mine, a greeting to my family.”
Excuse me: and what do you listen to after the race?
“Jovanotti. And with my assistants we say to each other: “Shall we do another one?”. In game, rhetorically…”.
Has a member of your family ever said to you “You didn’t referee well today…”?
“My son was three years old. “Dad, mum told me that you’ll be at home for a while: come on, I’ll give you some rest…”. I actually didn’t go very well in that Lazio-Sampdoria match.” He smiles.
Faced with what happened: any advice to Di Bello?
“I’ve missed a lot of matches… We’ll recover.”
What did these first three days of the championship say?
“Meanwhile, territoriality has disappeared. Great thing. And this too is a move by Rocchi, a “visionary””.
What are you proud of today?
“That I have always remained the same as when I started blowing the whistle for a match at the oratory, when I started in ’92 and directed the first match in ’93. And that’s what I thought about for just one second when I started the World Cup in Qatar”.
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