Vincenzo Montella, former Italy striker and current Turkey coach, has spoken about Kenan Yildiz and shared his thoughts on the upcoming clash between Luciano Spalletti and Antonio Conte. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Montella reflected on Italy’s progress under Gennaro Gattuso, praised Yildiz’s talent, and offered insights into youth football development.
When asked whether Turkey are stronger than Italy, Montella replied:
“Are you sure? I think you’re being too hard on yourselves. I believe that with Gattuso, Italy are becoming Italy again. It’ll take some time, but the players are there.”
On Italy’s inconsistency, he added:
“Italy have the best goalkeeper in the world, a great defence, and a midfield where Tonali and Barella bring international quality. The attack is scoring too – Kean and Retegui are the pairing, but Pio Esposito never has a bad game, and he’s very young.”
So what’s missing?
“Serenity,” Montella said simply.
On Yildiz’s talent
At Juventus, many speak highly of the young Turkish forward. Montella agreed, saying:
“It’s true. Yildiz is a wonderful player and a great person. He’s only twenty and still growing, but he’ll get there because he’s ambitious.”
When asked about Yildiz’s ideal position, he explained:
“It’s too soon to trap him in one role. Right now, he can play anywhere up front – as a playmaker or a second striker. He’s most effective on the left side; that’s his area. But there’s one thing he needs to improve.”
And what is that?
“He must learn to attack the box with more aggression and consistency. When he does, as you’ve seen recently, he scores. I watch all his games.”
Spalletti vs Conte
With Napoli and Juventus set to face off tonight, Montella also commented on the managers leading each side:
“They’re both great coaches. I have immense respect for Spalletti – I worked under him at Empoli, Sampdoria, and Roma. He’s incredibly prepared and revolutionary in training, always recreating match scenarios. With Conte, I played at a European Championship – he’s a great person and a top coach with a very different style.”
Why Italy produces fewer players like Yildiz and Güler
Montella reflected on why Italy seems to produce fewer technically gifted players in recent years:
“It’s a big debate, and I live far away, so maybe I’m not the best person to judge. But you don’t have to live in Italy to see that more can be done – starting with kids and amateurs.”
His solution is simple:
“Play more with the ball. Train with the ball. Small games, three against three, like we used to when we were kids. Learning should be fun. Nowadays, there’s too much downtime, too many long tactical explanations. The kids get bored and lose precious time. We used to play all day in the street – they only get a few hours a week. And if you take that away too…”
