Marco Silvestri appeared on Udinese Tonight on Monday evening, speaking about his start to life in Udine, how Udinese differs from his previous clubs and the ambitions for the side this season…
On the start to the season…
“Incredible start. I felt good as soon as I arrived. The Juventus match gave us a real boost. Then we needed to win and that’s what we did. If you start well, you’re halfway there.”
On the fans’ response to him…
“It’s been great to see the messages from the fans – I’m happy that they appreciate me. I can’t wait to show what I can do on the pitch. We’ve only just begun and the road is long. I know I’ve joined a top club.”
On the Venezia win…
“The first save on [Dennis] Johnsen was the hardest, because I had to keep my composure and be strong enough to stay on my feet and wait for the opposition player. The second save on [David] Okereke was a good save, but from that position it comes down to what the striker does because I was rooted to the spot and couldn’t do more than I did. If the striker gets good contact from that position they score, but I did my bit.”
On the importance of Udinese to his career…
“Udinese is a crucial step in my development because the club has signed me to be the starting keeper. Nobody else in Serie A had ever put their trust in me as the starting goalie, so it’s important for my development and my career. Now I need to give my all and do as well as I can for the team.”
On how playing for Udinese is different to playing for Verona…
“The difference I’ve found at Udinese is the style of play. With [Ivan] Juric, we’d always play short passes and never go long. Here, the coach wants us to build from the back, but doesn’t want us to take risks. Udinese have always been a very good side, with very good players. I think last season came a bit too soon, because the club made a lot of new signings, whereas this year the players know each other well and there’s more of a bond there. We need to stick together and be a group.”
On building from the back….
“The coach likes us to play it out from the back, but in the games sometimes I have to make a decision. If I play a bad pass and we concede, that’s not OK. In my eyes, if there’s no pass on, you have to kick it long.”
On how far Udinese can go this season…
“I think we have everything we need to finish in the top half. In my eyes, this is a harder league than last year, because all of the top clubs have strengthened. We have everything it takes to get a top-half finish, but the primary objective is definitely to stay up.”
On how the goalkeepers train…
“Goalkeeper training has changed a lot over the years. Now it’s not just about making saves but also playing the ball with feet. I prefer to use my hands rather than my feet, but I can do it if I’m asked to. Building the play from the back is a joint effort involving all eleven players, because if someone passes the ball to the goalkeeper but then there’s no movement, it’s difficult to build something – the goalie can’t start dribbling. It’s something you have to work on in training. It’s not about individual technique, but the group.”
On working under Luca Gotti…
“My first impressions of Gotti have been very positive. He’s the kind of coach you can talk to and even discuss things that aren’t to do with football. He’s a good person and he’s very competent. Udine is a nice city and the whole family is enjoying it.”
On getting clean sheets...
“Goalkeepers care more about clean sheets than making saves. My aim is to get as many as possible, but once again they’re not just to do with the goalkeeper. They’re earned by the whole team putting the goalkeeper in a position where they can avoid conceding. For example, Venezia had two shots which I was able to save, but if a team gets seven or eight chances to score, it’s a lot harder to get a clean sheet. It’s a team effort.”