Nicola Daldello, 2nd coach of Allianz Milano, only had four days of vacation this summer, but the year 2023 is destined to remain in his heart. Partly for the final run of the championship “I still have in my eyes the full Allianz Club that pushes the team into the playoffs” and partly for her experience in the blue, with the women’s national team. We’re calling him to Florence for a short break in the European Championships, tomorrow (Saturday 26 August) Sylla and her teammates will face Spain in the round of 16.
Daldello begins by telling us about his first meeting with Davide Mazzanti.
“It’s a relationship born a bit by chance – he explains – I was still a player from Milan, it was my last season. We had the finishing touches at the PalaEvangelisti in Perugia the morning before the game. In that season, in addition to the national team, Mazzanti also coached Perugia Volleyball where his wife (Serena Ortolani ndr) also played. On a bench I find a tactics board and start reading the patterns. Mazzanti arrives at the gym and watches the scene amused, explaining that the blackboard, however, would be his, and he would still need it…”.
Andrea Giovi, a former libero, has also been part of the blue staff for some time, who played with Daldello in Perugia. “Thanks also to Giovi’s mediation, Davide and I chatted a bit, with the agreement to meet again at the end of the championship”.
For Daldello, who is preparing to face his first season as a coach, as assistant to coach Roberto Piazza, in his native Milan, this is a good opportunity for discussion.
“Mazzanti, like the other coaches at this level, in men’s and women’s, is always looking for ways to improve his team’s game. He tackles the problem at 360° – explains Daldello – He was immediately interested in my opinion on some issues and my experiences. In fact, in addition to Roberto (Piazza ed), I had the good fortune to work with Lorenzetti in Trento, for example. I tried for a week with the blue staff, with the excuse of sparring, but in reality I never took the field, but I started collaborating as a coach”.
What are you doing now?
“Last summer I followed a sort of B national team, as assistant coach, while this year I am Mazzanti’s assistant coach from Vnl. Specifically, I follow our ball change and the opponent’s break phase “.
Is there still so much difference between women’s and men’s volleyball?
“Mazzanti’s Italy has a game very similar to that of men.
