Michele Totire speaks, Serie A1’s youngest coach.
Before the Montichiari’s match, apparently Julio Velasco said to Totire “What are you doing taking the responsibility of a Serie A1 team at 31?”
Michele Totire, Prisma Taranto’s young coach is showing to have broad shoulders able to hold the pressure of his first experience in A1 and he is also aware that the 6 consecutive defeats this season represent an alarm signal to interrupt with the confidence in his own means and the team’s, plus the hard work in training.
“I am flattered by the fact that people like Velasco, Prandi or Lorenzetti made me understand that I was very brave in taking on this challenge – Totire says – I reply to them and everyone else that this was a chance in a lifetime for me especially being so young. the six consecutive defeats do not throw me. I am sure we will recover and save ourselves”.
A temporary assesment fo this experience?
“For me it has all been positive up to now. I cannot see negative things but just aspects to improve. I have always dreamt to be doing what I am doing and I am putting lots of enthusiasm into it.This is the best job in the world for me. Responsibilities do not scare me, I am enjoying the moment and I can only thank the Club for giving me this chance, the players and the rest of the technical staff for their cooperation”.
What do you think you current limitations are?
“Surely I lack the experience only the court can give you. My father always says that only by healing your scars and learning to manage the pain given by your wounds you can learn something.
I believe I have to improve the way I set up the technical work I do with the team and the group management, especially at difficult moments. From a tactical point of view I think I am prepared. It is the job I have alway done in the past as a scout man and an assistan. Maybe the players were used to see me in a different role, as an assistant coach, which is a bit of a friend, the one who absorbs the head coach’s needs and the team’s. I have had to wait to deserve their respect and get in the part but now the team listens to me and follows me”.
Which other coaches inspire you?
“Professor Prandi for how he studies teams and knows how to manage them based on their technical characteristics and also keeping himself updated on different ways of working. Then Fefè De Giorgi for the great human charge he has and his ability to manage a group”.
What kind of championship have you seen so far?
“Poorer from a technical point of view given important players like Giba have left. It has grown from a physical point of view though. There are 3-4 of teams like Cuneo, Roma and Treviso which are stronger than the others and they make the law, especially when they play at home while when they play away they can suffer against any team if they do not play at their best.
Ithas been a busy championship so far, playing every three days and it was difficult to give the daily work some continuity. Padova, is so far the surprise of the championship and I do believe that they will manage to keep their performance in the future.
Regarding us, we can aim between teh 8th and the 10th place.
How will you take advantage of the break? What do you have to improve?
We will work on everything. We are a team that cannot ignore anything. We are very technical so we need to work a lot and repeat all the exercises to be able to put them into practice in a match”.
There are rumors you are looking at buying a spiker, what do you think?
“We think we need an experienced player able to attack the high ball and cover more roles. A player with characteristics which are different from the spikers we have”.
