Manolo Gabbiadini believes “Southampton can truly represent a turning point in my career”. Having joined the Saints from Napoli in January, the Italian international has scored five goals in his first three games in English football, including two in the League Cup final on Sunday. "It’s all beautiful, all fantastic, but I need to keep my feet on the ground," Gabbiadini explained to Gazzetta dello Sport. "Football is strange, you’re flying and then suddenly you crash back down to earth. But I’d be lying if I said I expected a start like this. "I knew right away that things are less rigid here, after three training sessions I was thrown straight into the fray. In Italy, instead, there’s a lot of caution. Here they send you straight to the front. "Claude Puel? The relationship is good, he’s asked me to play as a pure centre-forward, to always gamble at the near post. The goal for 1-2 [against Manchester United], the one from the [James] Ward-Prowse cross came from that. "I manage in English. I can get by. Of course I still need to improve and I’ve started taking private lessons. With Puel we speak English, Italian and French. We can understand each other, and that’s the most important thing. "I've found a very young team and a hungry coach. I still live in a hotel, but I’ll be moving to a house soon, I believe Southampton can truly represent a turning point in my career. "The atmosphere in England? Fantastic. Here people come to the stadium to support their team, and not to cheer against the opponent. We had over 30,000 follow us to Wembley, an incredible following." Gabbiadini also revealed the compliments paid to him by Jose Mourinho after Manchester United’s 3-2 win on Sunday. "When someone like him comes up to you and says ‘you did a great job, you scored two phenomenal goals’ you feel something special inside you. Mourinho is a special person, and not just for his successes as a coach. He’s really charismatic." The Titanic set sail from Southampton, so are there any icebergs on the horizon? "I know the story," Gabbiadini responded. "Well, in my case the adventure has started well but I, by nature, always keep my feet on the ground. Football really is like the open sea. "There are moments of calm, but suddenly you can be hit by a storm, you can't ever relax. "Five goals in three games is an amazing start, but it won’t always be this way. "One thing I can guarantee though: I’ll always give my best, I’ll never give up."
"Here people come to the stadium to support their team, and not to cheer against the opponent" Right, we better knock 'Father's Gun' on the head for the time being then.
With any luck we might next year Interesting piece though, trying not to get carried away just yet as it's early days but I like what I see so far and am very excited by him Exciting times!
What does he mean that scoring 5 (6) in 3 games may not always happen? We're depending on it, Manolo!! Though no pressure.
"When someone like him comes up to you and says ‘you did a great job, you scored two phenomenal goals’ you feel something special inside you. Mourinho is a special person, and not just for his successes as a coach. He’s really charismatic." __________________________ No, he's actually a cock who has difficulty counting, but I get your point.
Great piece, and I like him a lot. I particularly like his line in metaphor, which you don't get from footballers very often. From what I've seen of him he's a very intelligent player indeed.
Yeah, sling yer hook Jose. Stop sidling up to our players like some sleazy rich guy propositioning hostesses in a dodgy nightclub.
That's just an Italian way, I think. I've had plenty of stuff read to me by my Dad in years past, and nowadays I've begun to read articles in Italian, and they're forever writing in metaphor.
Honestly, the man is ****ing brilliant. Pace, industry, guile, touch, finishing. I want to be cautious but he literally has everything, what a player
He appears to have transformed the team not surprising given we were creating chances but not taking them. The attacking half of the pitch looks really exciting all of a sudden Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Puel has also changed things up. Gone is the big gap in the middle of the pitch in the 4-3-3, and as a result we're moving forward far faster than we were a month ago.
Yes but is that also because he has the man he wants up front ? Don't know Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
May well be a contributor, but it makes a huge difference even when Gabbiadini isn't involved. Redmond's second happens because we have Tadic advanced down the middle, where he can look up and find an easy pass upfield, at which point it's a 1v1. A change that probably should have been made earlier in the year, but I'm glad it has been made now.
Loved this. My missus has a thing about Italians. She drooled over Osvaldo (yeah, I know he's not Italian, but my missus refused to believe it); swooned over Graziano but when I pointed out that Gabby was Italian she just curled her lip. "He must have been adopted" she opined. That's all right, and I can love the guy without being accused of having a man crush!
