[Jager]

Mazzarri welcomes 'new' Cassano Tuesday 14 August, 2007

Walter Mazzarri believes he can revive Antonio Cassano’s career, but first must focus on Sampdoria’s UEFA Cup clash with Hajduk Split.

The club has agreed a deal to take the former Roma and Bari starlet on loan from Real Madrid this summer.

“Last night the lad called me and I am very, very happy about that,” commented the Coach.

“It was an important act of humility that shows the first great step towards the right recovery for a player of undoubted quality.”

Cassano’s talent has never been in question, but his temperament has seen him become an exile at several different clubs and at international level.

“He certainly doesn’t lack the vision and flair. He must focus only on his work, as the past does not exist. As far as I am concerned, my rapport with the player will begin from scratch the day he arrives here for training,” added Mazzarri.

“Usually in this sport when you buy a player, you ask those who worked with him before what he is like. Well, I have never done that and will not start now. I don’t want to be conditioned by things I may have heard about him.

“I shall give him the same talk I had with every other player. Here there are rules, respect them and I will respect you. That is all. I don’t care what he did before.”

The former Reggina boss will also aim to give Cassano’s career a renaissance on a tactical level.

“Cassano can play as a support striker on the left or right of my current system, or possibly the support in a 3-5-1-1, should we adopt that tactic. In fact, I could even play him as centre-forward, if needs be. The position is not the most important thing, as a player with such technique needs to be left a certain freedom.”

Cassano may be dominating the headlines, but Sampdoria have more pressing matters to think about.

Their UEFA Cup clash with Hajduk Split has been put back to 19.45 UK time rather than the original 19.30, as requested by the Croatian club, on Thursday August 16.

The stadium is almost completely sold out and Mazzarri named his 23 players for this trip.


Sampdoria squad: Castellazzi, Fiorillo, Mirante; Accardi, Bastrini, Campagnaro, Lucchini, Pieri, Sala, Volta; Delvecchio, Franceschini, Koman, Maggio, Poli, Sammarco, Volpi, Zenoni, Ziegler; Bellucci, Caracciolo, Foti, Montella.

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