Zico: "It's always a pleasure to be here"

An historical day in Udine. To celebrate the return of the Galinho,  Zico made a press conference alongside Udinese Calcio's president Franco Soldati and Orsaria's Udinese Club's president Alessandro Scarbolo.

 

"It's always a pleasure to come back here in Udine. I would like to thank you all for the invitation.  It's a real pleasure for me to come back here and relive the two years I have spent in Udine. They told me that Udine wasn't  a warm and passionate city but I discovered that the opposite was true. I'm really glad about returning here. I always followed Udinese from afar: it's one of my three favourite teams alongside Flamengo and Kashima Antlers. My family also found themselves very well here. I'm happy to see that the team is constantly growing and that it's in possession of a wonderful structure in order to become a great club and a great team".

Fondest memory?
"The moment I was presented in the plaza. I did not expect all those people would have come to see me. That scene gave me enthusiams and increased my responsabilities"

 Where you convinced to come here after hearing the word "Scudetto"?
"Scudetto"? I came here convide that I can do it well. I always play to win. I knew that I would have joined a team that wasn't very well known but I was ambitious and eager to do well. We defeated the Real in a friendly match and we joked in the dressing room about the possibility of winning a Scudetto. I remember saying that everyone must play to win the Scudetto. It wasn't easy to change that mentality. What was missing? There were problem in the second round due to that famous friendly mach with Brescia, which should have been avoided, where I got a bad injury. The team suffered my absence and the break down between Dal Cin and Mazza. Back then the team didn't have the structure needed to aim high like now. It was a different time but I still thing we did a good job. We fought for a place in UEFA until the end. Back then the squads were less large and equipped to cover the absences. You don't win a Scudetto by only working on the field. You also need to work from the outside.

 You are always welcomed like a winner. There's something beyond the field in that regard?
"No doubt about it. Football History doesn't remember just the wiiners. The important thing is Respecr. I have many fond memories and I'm happy about it. If I cound't do better it's due to other reasons, I always gave my best until the end and people knew it. I think I always left a good memory of myself due to the strong respect I had for the places where I had been".

 Baggio is 50 years od now. What's your opinion of him?
"I wish him well and I also wish him to always be in good health. I'm a big fan of him. I had a lot of fun when I was here for the World Championship in the 1990. He did a great World Championship but Italy managed to arrive there almost only thanks to him, the same happened in 94'. It was nice meeting him because they told me he alway came to see me training and he surpassed his master. I often invited him to see the "stars match" that I do annually. Unfortunately he has stopped playing. I belive he's one of the best players in Italy's football history".

 What's your opinion on the Italian Championship?
"I have followed Udinese even recently like in the matches against Roma and Inter where they failed a bit too many goals. I would say that italian football in general underwent a general decline in quality. Juve is still going strong. It could have won the Champions against Barcellona but they were just too good in that period. I feel like italian football is suffering due to the lack of great champions who are going in other championships. Right now italian football is the third/fourth in Europe because there are no other teams as good as Juventus. I think it's a phase caused by external problems, inadequate financements and companies sold but Italy is still Italy. The players morale is still high"

 Your banner is still in the stadium. Di Natale's banner is also there. Will you meet him? What's your opinion?
"I might meet him. It happened in Rome a few years ago. Amoroso was also there. I already said it once: I believe Toto' is the bet player in Udinese's history. Just look at the numbers. He deserved a Scudetto with the Udinese".

 Do you consider Neymar to be your heir?
"Not a heir. I think he's one of the best in the world but I also believe we shouldn't make paragons in football. Everyone has his own history and qualities. Has football changed? I'll say yes. Before we had skills now we have tactics. Before you learned how to make goals, now you learn how to not let others have goals. The mentality has changed".

 Now you are a grandfather. Will one of your nephews play in Udine in the future?
"Maybe the oldest one will (he's 8, laughs, ndr). We'll see whay they want to do when they'll grow up, and if they manage to have more luck than my sons did. When thay tried to play football, under the heavy weight of my name, people had the wrong idea like "He's playing because he's the son of Zico". I have never like this which made them suffer, I hope my nephews will be able of doing what they love".

 Of the world championships that didn't go well which one you regret the most?
"I have played in three World Championships and I have only lost once, against Italy. Despite this I have never made it into the finals. I believe that the 1982 team could have done better, everyone expected better. In 1978 we hade many accidents. In 1986 we lacked quality. The one in the Mundialito won by Italy on paper was very strong but in the World Championship if you can't play well you go back home. Italy made a great match againt us, with a lot of experience, but Brazil couldn't make use of it's great strenght. Every mistake was a goal from Paolo Rossi. The history of World Championships is full of surprises. My biggest regret is to have never made it into the finals".

 What's the future for Zico?
"I might consider the opportunity of guiding a team that's not in Brasil. Right now I'm happy in Brazil where I?m enjoying my gìfamily. This job with the tv is more relaxing because I don't have to work on the weekend. Why not in Brazil? Because I could never play aginst Flamengo".

 You have trained nations that were uknown bck then and that now have become more important. Will we ever see a change in the
hierarchies?
"I don't think it will be the case for indian football. Maybe the japanese will. They have been working to make football work there. The problem is that japanese players don't work in Europe very much. The opposite of China: They bring us great players but their national football is not growing much. The same goes for the previously mentioned India".

 What advice would you give to a young player?
"I would tel him that playing football every day is very nice, even when you are not a professional. In the end football is still a game. When I was a kid i always asked Santa a ball. Football can turn into a job but it must not be just that".