Daniele Padelli was the guest on Udinese Tonight after the draw with Cagliari. The veteran chatted about the game, the team's form, his fellow goalkeepers and other team-mates like Sunday's goalscorer Christian Kabasele and youngsters such as Lennon Miller.
“How's it going?” was the first question put to the 39-year-old.
“It could be better! Towards the end of the match it felt like we'd gone back to two years ago, but if we want to look at the positives, two years ago we'd have lost this game. Instead, the point moves us a little higher and has lifted morale a bit. Now we have the international break to recover.”
However, Padelli was not critical of the team's form.
“We're still at the start of the season. We've made lots of changes and we're getting going again. Keeping the same coaching staff is good for continuity, but you have to see that continuity on the pitch and it takes time. The strong start we made shows we worked well in pre-season but growth isn't linear; it goes in waves. We have to make sure the waves keep moving upwards.
“We didn't start brilliantly against Verona, then we did really well before losing two – the Sassuolo game especially was disappointing for the way it happened.
“Against Cagliari we were at home against a defensive team. Everyone finds it difficult against teams like that – even Inter struggle – and you can't play nice football in those situations. Their coach said Udinese deserved more, so that means we deserved a lot more.
“We obviously weren't jumping for joy at the final whistle but football is not always logical: just because you play better than the opposition doesn't mean you automatically win. We have to take the positives from these games and put them to good use. We conceded an unlucky goal and we responded immediately then kept trying. It wasn't a positive result but I don't think it alters our path. If we're still here talking about the same things in ten games' time, then it might mean something, but I think it's way to early for that."
There was a very emotional moment for Christian Kabasele after he scored the equaliser at the weekend as he dedicated the goal to his grandmother who recently passed away.
“He was going through a rather particular spell as a player and we'd often spoken about it. After the match I went over to him, not knowing about his grandmother, and said: 'It's just a shame we didn't win. You deserved this moment.' With hindsight, after what he'd been through, he deserved it even more.
“He's a key dressing-room figure, a consummate professional, and a smashing lad. He has two wonderful children and a beautiful family. He's always the first to arrive in the dressing room and the last to leave the gym. Whenever he's called upon, he always performs well. You need people like that.”
It was pointed out to Padelli that the description he had just given very much fits him too.
“It's an honour to be likened to Kabasele. I try to set a good example, talk to the lads and tell them off sometimes. That's my role and partly his too – only that he plays and scores as well!