Reja: Clashes with De Laurentiis, Lotito, but full respect | OneFootball

Last October 10th, he turned 80. Edy Reja reflects on a career spanning sixty years between benches, promotions, and great relationships with presidents like De Laurentiis and Lotito. “Gasperini is an innovator like Sacchi, I suggested him to Atalanta.”

Reja: “Great clashes with ADL and Lotito, but total respect. Gasperini like Sacchi. On the champions coached…”

Last Friday, Edy Reja blew out 80 candles. A life entirely dedicated to football, lived with passion and character, first on the field and then on the bench. From Paolo Mazza's Spal to the Lazio bench, passing through Napoli, Vicenza, Brescia, Cagliari, and even the Albanian National team, Reja has traversed decades of Italian sports history.

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Today he lives peacefully in his Lucinico (Gorizia), next to his wife Livia, between long bike rides and a passion for sailing. «I will celebrate as always at the Barcolana in Trieste», he recounts. «It’s a tradition I have respected for years, except when I was coaching Albania: then the commitments with the National team didn’t allow me».

The beginnings with Capello and the first successes at Spal

His debut in professional football dates back to the Sixties. «I was sixteen when Spal called me. It was a prestigious club, and for me, it was a dream». In Ferrara, a friendship was also born destined to last over time: the one with Fabio Capello. «We both came from Friuli, lived in the same apartment, and played together in midfield. Fabio was more technical, I ran more», Reja recalls.

And it was in Ferrara that love also arrived. «It was Capello who introduced me to Livia, the best friend of the one who would later become his wife. At Spal, we both found our wives».

“With Cagliari, I could have won the championship with Riva”

After Spal, Reja moved to Palermo. «It was a beautiful experience, but I was about to go to Cagliari, a year before the championship. At the last moment, Paolo Mazza decided to sell me to the Rosanero for a higher offer. I could have become Italian champion with Gigi Riva».

A coaching career built step by step

Reja has had one of the longest careers among Italian coaches. «I could have reached Serie A earlier, but after achieving it with Vicenza, Brescia, and Cagliari, I preferred to make different choices. I always wanted to work where I could build something concrete».

His straightforward and direct personality often led him to clash with presidents. «I prefer to be clear, even if sometimes this creates problems. With Corioni at Brescia and with Cellino at Cagliari, there were difficult moments, but I owe a lot to Massimo: I was 58, about to quit, and he convinced me to continue».

“In Naples, I resigned twice, but a phone call was enough to return”

With Napoli, he wrote one of the most important pages of his career. «We started from Serie C and reached the UEFA Cup. It was the beginning of a cycle that later led the club to win two championships. I launched youngsters like Hamsik and Lavezzi, and seeing where they have arrived is a source of pride».

The relationship with Aurelio De Laurentiis was intense: «I resigned twice, but a phone call was enough to return. The president is like that: passionate, direct, but extraordinary as a man and as a manager. He built a solid and winning club».

“Lotito? A capable manager, though often misunderstood”

After the experience in Naples, Lazio came, where Reja achieved excellent results. «With Lotito, there were discussions, but always with mutual respect. In Rome, many do not love him, but what he has done for Lazio is evident to all».

On the Lazio bench, Reja came close twice to qualifying for the Champions League. «We finished fourth and fifth, but in one case, we lost qualification only on goal difference. It’s my greatest regret».

“Gasperini like Sacchi, I wanted him in Bergamo”

Among the many presidents he had, there was also Antonio Percassi, the man who built the modern Atalanta. «He is a great entrepreneur and knows football well. When I arrived in Bergamo, I suggested Gasperini’s name. They were negotiating with Maran, but I had him as a player in Pescara and knew he would be the right man».

Today Reja has no doubts: «Gasperini has been an innovator like Sacchi. He changed the way of playing, and abroad they have studied and copied him. He deserves everything he has achieved».

The champions coached: from Pirlo to Klose

In sixty years of football, Reja has trained hundreds of players, but two names remain in his heart: Andrea Pirlo and Miroslav Klose. «I launched Pirlo at 18 in Brescia. It was already clear he would become a champion. Klose, on the other hand, was an exceptional professional, with incredible mental strength».

Among the regrets, an unfulfilled talent: «Matuzalem. Extraordinary class, but the mindset was not right for an athlete».

A football master with still plenty of energy

At 80, Edy Reja remains a symbol of the most authentic Italian football: one made of work, passion, and respect for the game. «I do not consider myself a finished coach, but a man who has given everything to football. And I will continue to follow it with the same curiosity as always».

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.