Latest news with #ManuelPascali
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Soldiers with a mission' - Pascali explains Serie A's love affair with Scots
The success of Italy's Scottish imports has been widely covered in recent seasons, a hype which has reached new heights in the past 12 months with Napoli's Serie A title McTominay was the leading light for Antonio Conte's side, while Billy Gilmour also played a crucial role as they beat Inter to the Lewis Ferguson won the Coppa Italia with Bologna, Che Adams scored 10 goals for Torino and Josh Doig helped Sassuolo to the Serie B man who knows the ins and outs of Scottish and Italian football more than most is Kilmarnock icon Manuel Pascali, who now commentates on Serie A alongside a burgeoning coaching career."McTominay has been incredible. He was the difference in terms of presence and leadership," Pascali told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "All credit to Gilmour as well. When he has been called into action, he was incredible. Such a composed played, tidy on the ball."When asked to explain why Scottish players tend to thrive in Italian football, Pascali says it boils down to mentality."They are soldiers with a mission," he said. "This is what Scottish people are about. You can trust them, you can rely on them. "For example, if Italian players don't play 10 games, they give up and want to swap teams. "Watch Gilmour for example playing not many games, but every time he's been called, he was magnificent, the quality has never dropped."Napoli's duo were not the only Scots to win silverware in the 2024-25 season and Pascali says Ferguson's success with Bologna means he is now viewed as an honorary Italian."Ferguson is almost Italian now because he's been for Bologna three seasons," Pascali said. "At the moment he is the skipper. "They won the Italian Cup after 41 years. I was at the game at the Stadio Olimpico. I saw him and had a chat with a couple of his friends coming from Scotland with the Scottish flag on."Adams' Torino finished 11th in Italy's top flight after a flying start to the campaign and Pascali says the former Southampton striker is best deployed in a front two."Torino started very well," Pascali said. "Adams did a nice job, scoring nine league goals. The main difference was an injury to Duvan Zapata, who was the main man up top playing alongside Adams. "Adams is the kind of striker you want in your team, he runs a lot, he is quick and powerful. He needs to play with another striker though." And Pascali touched on Doig's Sassuolo, who he says were simply too strong for the other sides in Serie B."Sassuolo last season had a nightmare - they basically got relegated because they lost Domenico Berardi to injury."Doig is a player who has a great engine and Sassuolo were too good in Serie B."
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Killie manager's job a 'dream' for Pascali
Could Manuel Pascali return to Kilmarnock one day as manager? The Italian certainly doesn't rule it didn't fancy throwing his hat in the ring this time - before Stuart Kettlewell was appointed Derek McInnes' successor - as he spends time honing his managerial craft at Italian fifth-tier side ACD Sant'Angelo 1907, where is currently the future, though, the former captain says returning as manager would "clearly" be a dream come approach to achieving this dream, though, is a patient one. He wants to have the experience behind him to be a success. Pascali, who joined Killie in 2008 and made more than 200 appearances in a seven-year stay, told BBC Scotland: "I always thought that - we call it gavetta [to come up through the ranks] - the experience is crucial for everything."We've seen so many young managers being thrown in positions where they found difficulties that you're not expecting from a player point of view. Because as a player, even if you are old, you can see things, you organise things, you work for your manager as well, but being on the bench is a completely different job."So I always follow dreams, I always have dreams in my head and one is clearly to maybe one day come back and sit on that bench."But first I need to gain experience because the one thing I don't want to do is maybe come to that job and not be ready."So I would love to have that chance later on where I feel I have enough experience to deal with things and be ready."Pascali is eyeing a return this summer to play in former team-mate Rory McKenzie's testimonial - if he gets an invite."One day I would love to be back at Killie, because I never played so many years for a single team and I have sweet memories," the 43-year-old added."So we're going to see what's gonna happen, but I always check, I'm still in touch with Rory."I'm happy to see him gaining the chance to organise his testimonial year, but I'm still waiting for his invitation for his testimonial game."So I would be glad to play that part because I'm still keeping fit with having two young boys, and you never know if you'll see me around Rugby Park this summer."Hear more from Pascali on the latest episode of the BBC's Scottish football podcast.
