Tami takes a closer look at the Nati stars: “The best team does not always consist of the best individual players.”

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

This week in the spring of La Manga, the national team starts the countdown to the European Championships. The foundation for a successful European Championship adventure must be laid under the sun on the Costa Calida. Reaching the knockout stages is a must, but the dream of a summer fairy tale unites everyone: players, fans, coaches. Pierluigi Tami also dreams. The Nati director says: “We can beat any team.”

At the moment, the gloomy autumn is still far away, when the national team only secured the European Championship ticket with much hassle in the matches with Belarus, Israel, Kosovo and Romania – after increasingly weaker performances, disappointing results and also obvious dissatisfaction in the the and around the team. Not only the weather in Spain, but also the mood is better again. At least that’s what the main characters say.

Tami’s opinion has also changed. In the autumn, the Ticino resident still had doubts about his national coach, publicly criticized him and, according to Blick information, negotiated with potential successors, even though he publicly denied this. Now he supports the national coach in his first appearance in the European Championship year: “Yakin is our number 1 candidate, we are interested in working together in the future.”

Tami’s change of heart

The reasons for Tami’s change of heart? “We learned our lesson from the fall. We couldn’t handle the role of favorites.” Now the national team is back in the position that suits them best. The role of the dangerous outsider that no one likes to play against. “The team has shown time and again in the past that they are strong when their backs are against the wall,” says Tami. He cites the Nations League in the summer of 2022 as an example, when the national team confidently secured relegation with three wins in a row after three defeats.

Yakin’s future will only be decided after the European Championship. Despite discussions, the association and the national coach could not agree on a new contract. “It is Yakin’s will that we only talk to each other after the European Championship,” says Tami. According to reports, the SFV contract offer included a clause that would have allowed the association to part with Yakin without financial disadvantage if they had missed the quarter-finals of the European Championship. Tami does not want to comment on this at Blick’s request.

The national coach can and must live with the unclear coaching situation. “It is also an opportunity for Yakin and a risk for the association, because if he becomes successful, it will be expensive for the association.” But Tami can probably live with that, because he has to ask himself a few annoying questions, especially if the European Championship adventure goes wrong.

No eye for sentimentality

But that is something of the future. Tami’s focus is on the European Championships. And at least for this, Yakin is his man. The director of Nati is convinced that he has learned lessons from the autumn crisis. From his point of view, the national team needs one thing above all: to return to defensive stability. “That was the biggest difference between the 2021 World Cup qualifying and the European Championship qualifying.” That is also Tami’s focus during Saturday’s matches in Denmark and three days later in Ireland. Against two strong teams in their own country that don’t just want to sit at the back.

The offensive should work better again by the European Championships in Germany at the latest. “We have some very interesting young players,” says Tami. ‘We will make progress. But we are in a learning process and we also need patience.” New assistant Giorgio Contini, a former striker, and the experience of recent months at the respective clubs should help players like Vargas, Okafor, Amdouni and Ndoye to flourish again in the national team.

The Nati boss also holds the experienced players accountable. “We have to go to the European Championships with the best team, but that does not always consist of the best individual players,” says Tami. Everyone must accept their role, “this meeting is also important in this respect”. He doesn’t mention any names, but it is clear that this was not always the case in the autumn. Tami’s message is unmistakable: personal sensitivities must be put aside in the coming weeks. Because good team spirit has always been the basis of the great success of the national team. And the sun’s rays in the south of Spain should also be beneficial for this.

Source : Blick