October 6th, 1999

"With no criticism, those who play for big clubs get more attention. As for Peruzzi, the turnover works for him too, in 1997 it was my turn to be left out"

Toldo catches the national team

"Chiesa is doing fine, he could have been here, too"

by Giuseppe Calabrese

Toldo, what do you think of Chiesa's exclusion from the national team?
"It looks weird to me that a team's slight fall often becomes an excuse to leave a player at home".
What do you mean?
"If there is a general slight fall in a team, it's always the single player who pays for it 
and I don't think that's fair. Chiesa is doing fine, he could have been here".
You were reported to have said that if you don't play for Juve or Milan, they won't call 
you up for Italy, on Monday when you were in Milan. Is that true?
"I don't have to say again the things I already said".
But did you say that or not?
"I said that skill is what makes you called up. But it's natural, and soccer history tells us so, that those who play for big clubs get more attention than those who fight not to be 
relegated or play for less prestigious teams. I don't want to make criticism, but that's the 
way it is".
Peruzzi is complaining about Zoff not calling him up, though. And he plays for Inter.
"Peruzzi is part of the turnover as anyone else. One time it's your turn, one time it's mine. 
In 97 I was left out, now it's his turn".
Let's talk about Fiorentina, what is going on?
"Things don't work, we absolutely have to change. We get too many goals against and this is 
everyone's responsibility. We are all guilty and now we must react".
You have tu hurry up, though.
"Yes, the time has come to make a turn in the season. Nobody is free of responisibility and 
from now on we can only improve".
Do you think you had better get back to last year's scheme?
"That would be the easiest choice, but we can play with three strikers, too, if everyone lends a hand".
Batistuta says that it would be enough to do what Trapattoni says.
"Exactly".
Does this mean that someone is still not doing that?
"Exactly".
So what?
"So we must change, react. We cannot stand there looking anymore. We are going through a 
difficult moment but we can make it. Fiorentina is a group who is able to fight equally with the 
other big teams, maybe we just need to get some confidence back".
Is Trapattoni risking?
"I don't think so, although it's the president and the management who decide certain things. 
Trapattoni, however, has got enough experience to be able to handle such difficult moments as 
this".
As the league starts again you will face Parma, then the Champions League starts again, too. 
Another difficult month for Fiorentina.
"But we can face it very well if we manage to get out of this situation. We must beat Parma at home and then win against AIK in the Champions League. We need two results like those to keep the morale high. And then we'll be going to London and we'll play everything against Arsenal. We 
can still get to the next Champions League round, it only depends on us".
One last thing, will you be moving to Lazio at the end of the season?
"All these transfer rumours are very annyoing. I'm not moving from Florence, I don't want to 
go away. Any player would like to come and play for Fiorentina, I'm staying where I am. And now stop it, I don't want to talk about this story anymore".

Taken from La Repubblica
www.repubblica.it
English translation by Maddalena (www.acfiorentina.net/enricochiesa)