Ex-Inter Milan defender explains why Spalletti is the best Italian manager | OneFootball

Retired Italian footballer Lele Adani argues that Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti is the best head coach Italy has to offer.

The 67-year-old has enjoyed a long and prosperous career, although his previous experience with the Italian national team was a complete letdown.

Nevertheless, the Certaldo native was keen to put that disappointment behind him, so he was delighted to receive a phone call from the Old Lady following Igor Tudor’s sacking in Late October.

Lele Adani hails Luciano Spalletti as the best Italian coach

Despite his elite status, Spalletti accepted a short-term contract when he took the reins at Continassa, and allowed his work to do the talking.

While the path has been filled with bumps, Juventus have been on a steady rise since the Italian manager’s arrival, whether in terms of results or performances.

So even though Champions League qualification has yet to be achieved, Juventus decided to reward him with a new contract until June 2028.

Adani certainly agrees with the Bianconeri’s decision, as he believes that the former Roma and Inter head coach is the country’s best tactician at the moment.

“I put Spalletti at the top among Italian coaches, also in terms of knowledge and sheer ingenuity in creating football,” said the former Fiorentina and Inter defender in his interview with La Nuova DS via JuventusNews24.

“He understands it, he knows where to go and where to intervene to produce highly sophisticated situations on the pitch.”

Adani recalls Spalletti’s exploits at Napoli

In addition to the manager’s tactical genius, Adani highlights Spalletti’s man-management ability as one of his best traits.

“The key, when he finds it, in my opinion, is also the human connection. He gets players to buy in, not just to share his ideas. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but look, as I’m saying, he’s producing great football.

“And we all still have in our minds, we can picture what he did at Napoli: in just one year, he managed to create football of a genuine European level. We remember that.”

Spalletti took charge of Napoli in 2021, and after a lukewarm first campaign at the Stadio Maradona, he led the club towards a historic Scudetto triumph in the 2022/23 season, while routing the competition.

This remains the Tuscan manager’s solitary Serie A title. His other two league titles ensued during his Russian experience at Zenit St Petersburg.