Giannichedda: "Udinese changed my life. Zaccheroni? A master, I owe him a lot"
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
Giuliano Giannichedda looks back on his arrival in Udine, the rapid adaptation to Serie A and the defining role of Alberto Zaccheroni in his career.
Giuliano Giannichedda told the story of a remarkable trajectory responding to the destiny of a midfielder who arrived from Serie C and was propelled to the highest level thanks to Udinese. In an interview with Messaggero Veneto, the former player retraced the stages of his time in Friuli, a period that he describes as decisive for his career.
He first discusses the astonishing circumstances of his recruitment: "They came to see me during Ischia-Sora. I only found out after the match: I was signed to Genoa, then at the end of the season don Mario accompanied me to Milan to the Udinese stand. The village priest was negotiating with the sports director Antonio Frasca. These were scenes from another football." An episode which illustrates, according to him, the difference in times and the strong local involvement around transfers.
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The move from Serie C to Serie A happened very quickly, but Giannichedda emphasizes that he was able to adapt: "The luck was to arrive in a healthy environment, with the work culture. The differences? The physicality and the speed of the ball, but I managed to get the hang of it straight away." This ability to adapt allowed him to establish himself and progress through contact with the high level.
The former defensive midfielder would like to pay tribute to his coach at the time: "Alberto Zaccheroni? A master, he spoke a lot with young people and he was a person of great caliber. I owe him a lot." According to Giannichedda, Zaccheroni played a key role in his development, supporting young players and establishing a demanding working method.
Finally, he returns to the most memorable collective memory of his time in Udine: "In Rome I dedicated myself, but what we did in Udine was magical. Coming third in the era of the seven sisters, with this unity between society, team, supporters and press, remains something extraordinary." A page in history for the Friulian club and a key moment in Giannichedda's career.
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