Pianigiani launches Banchi’s new Italy: “Talent and flames: the kids are growing up”

In one of his previous lives Simone Pianigiani was coach of the national team for six years, even reaching fifth place in Europe, and for the same number of years he worked together with the current coach Luca Banchi. Today, in addition to his speaking and consultancy activities in which he explores the connections between the world of sport and that of companies, which also ended up in the book “Essere coach” released in September, he is a face of Dazn. As a periodic presence on Sunday evenings (“With a special hostess like Diletta who puts everyone at ease, a series of talents with whom it is a pleasure to talk about sport at 360 degrees and a young and enthusiastic work group”). And the voice of basketball on the platform that owns the rights to the 2027 World Cup and the qualifiers, therefore also the double match on Friday (in Newcastle) and Monday (in Livorno) against Great Britain, a decisive turning point for Italy in the middle of the group.

Pianigiani, what to fear about Great Britain?

“With the “windows” in the current season, the balances and hierarchies that would otherwise exist change. Indeed, the stronger the players, the more incomplete the national teams are. Great Britain has the advantage of a group that perhaps has only one man in the Euroleague but is dangerous because it has been playing together for a while, it has great physicality and athleticism, it can do many things defensively with the bodies it has, also thanks to Wheatle’s versatility, as it did against Lithuania with whom it had practically won: it could have been still unbeaten, like Italy.”

Seen from Great Britain, what to fear instead of Italy?

“A national team with history and experience beyond the roster. With widespread talent, the ability to resolve matches and have flare-ups. It is obvious that the key for Italy, especially in the first match (then there will be adjustments and different rosters) will be turnovers, management of possession and control of the rhythm, it is to be expected that they will want to attack us using their body. In Lithuania, Italy attacked the substitutions well: the difficulty increases against a team that will want to show physicality and aggression to send us out of revs.”

Having said of Italy’s virtues, what are the difficulties to overcome?

“Luca was able to train the players very little: there was a change in the technical staff, in the balance of the group and there is a roster that needs to be discovered. If Ellis arrives in Great Britain at the last moment he is already part of the group, they already have an identity that Italy must find. A few days of training makes the difference, in the other window we saw the extra initiative that many players had in the second match. The collaboration between the club and the national team was good, with some players from Milan in training from the first day and those of Bologna after the cup”.

What did the championship offer the national team?

“A mix between guys who have minutes in the league, but perhaps not playing in the cups, have to adapt to different refereeing and physicality at an international level, and others who find themselves being protagonists when sometimes in important teams they have a different mission. For this reason, a key figure is Amedeo Della Valle, a player of monstrous efficiency, used to playing a lot but also with the experience of someone who knows all types of stages. Banchi is looking at those who have a little more Italian identity like Udine and Cremona. Despite the difficulties, he gave simple, clear, immediately usable concepts. And thanks to the attentive work going to the clubs around Italy, everyone feels involved and part of a team.”

What did the Italian Cup offer?

“Nice atmosphere, uncertain basketball. Great credit to Poeta who knew how to seize the moment: this moment is always a big trap for those who compete in cups, he arrived there in an emotional climate of great connection. In an Italian key, I say Calzavara: he showed he was ready.”

On Sunday he commented on the Copa del Rey won by an Italian coach against another Italian.

“A basketball celebration in the most beautiful palace in Europe, Valencia, with exciting finishes and great quality. Great credit to Paolo Galbiati, who arrived with Baskonia as an underdog and with the right emotional climate: every time he seemed on the verge of collapsing under Real’s shoulders he always came back, with patience and confidence. In the end he decided the meaning of the undertaking.”

You never announced your retirement… Are you waiting for a bench?

“No, I do a thousand things, I don’t need to announce why I continue to “coach”: working with companies as an advisor and public speaker is very similar in putting together different skills and trying to obtain results. Basketball continues to be part of me: in that or other roles I don’t know what I’ll do when I grow up, I’m very calm and committed”.