Padelli: “There’s a wonderful vibe here”

The goalkeeper spoke on Udinese Tonight

While the league campaign has paused for the international break, there has been no such interval for Udinese Tonight. The guest this week was none other than Udinese goalkeeper Daniele Padelli and this is what he had to say:

“We’re doing well. It’s a good time to be here and the atmosphere is so positive. There’s a good vibe here. We’re improving in all aspects and the statistics are there to prove it. Ball possession is the least of my concerns, as it can be meaningless with passes between the goalkeeper and defender. What matters is successful passes and those are increasing, meaning we’re growing and believe in what we’re doing. The draw in Bologna, despite having to dig in, gave us confidence and from there, we’ve started putting our hard work into practice. The team is very new in every way. This year, we’re trying to build from the back, even if it means taking some more risks. Football is played with the ball, so you can’t just rely on sitting back and hoping not to concede goals. Now we are moving forward in terms of movement and timing. Goalkeepers are asked to be proactive and act as an extra outfield player, giving us a numerical advantage in the build-up. We are expected to be outfield players for all intents and purposes. In training, we work a lot on possession. I already played in this style at Torino under [Gian Piero] Ventura, where in some games, I had more touches of the ball than our striker.

“We’ve had a generational shift in the dressing room, with important players leaving, but this transition has given more responsibility to players who had already the personality, but maybe didn’t express it as they are now. We created a good group right away, starting in the training camp. The new players immediately integrated themselves. The atmosphere is positive and clearly, the results help and do not come about by chance.

“[Razvan] Sava is a great prospect: he’s physically well-built, explosive, and reactive. He can do really well.

“[Maduka] Okoye has enormous potential and he’s showing it. He’s a great guy and is improving day by day, pushing himself to do things that aren’t in his nature but benefit him in matches. He has a bright future ahead of him.

“In terms of the new players, Iker Bravo has really impressed me in terms of quality. [Jesper] Karlstrom and [Jurgen] Ekkelenkamp also have great qualities, but all the new arrivals have something that stands out. [Arthur] Atta, who just arrived, has done well already, and [Isaak] Toure is fast for his size. [Damian] Pizarro has impressive physical strength. Each of them has something that stands out.

“I really like [Kosta] Runjaic, first and foremost as a person. Serie A is finding out about him and he’s discovering the competition, too. I liked him from his first press conference, he’s very direct and doesn’t beat around the bush. He never hesitates to call anyone out but he’s also got good banter and can lighten the mood with jokes now and then. He’s very empathetic.

“Football is my passion, but at almost 40, I need to find a path for when I retire. If I want to coach, I want to do it properly, understanding muscle development and nutrition. That’s why I’ve studied and earned my degree. If I coach young players, I want to do it in the best possible way, not just based on ‘I did it this way’. I regret not having gone to university earlier, as it would have helped me make better decisions. Studying opens your mind and helps you understand what you’re doing on the pitch. I’ve also taken the course to become a goalkeeper coach and coaching is very different. I’m trying to put myself on the other side now.

“[Alexis] Sanchez is always positive and a leader. He instils a winning mentality in the young players, encouraging them to run, fight and win on and off the pitch. We’re looking forward to having him back soon.”