«Alberto was a fantastic striker, as Germany witnessed at his expense at the 2006 World Cup. I am convinced that his numerous experiences as a player also had a significant influence on his way of being a coach». In an interview with Transfer Markt, Tonda Mateo Eckertcollaborator of Alberto Gilardino in Genoa, spoke about the professional and character aspects of the rossoblù coach: «On a personal level, he is a very humble and modest person who reminds me a bit of Miroslav Klose in terms of character aspects. It is a great honor for me to be able to support him in his daily work and I am convinced that he has the qualities to work at the highest levels as a coach, just as he did as a player.”
Genoa’s season – «The season was characterized by an extraordinary group of players, the incredible passion and energy of the fans and the awareness of having to push ourselves to the maximum in every match. Especially as a newly promoted team, we have to work hard for every point and we are proud to have played a very respectable season so far.”
The experience in Italy – «I feel very lucky to have been able to learn about different cultures and languages. To understand the soul of Italian football, you have to dig a little deeper into the culture. If you look at the history of the country, it is not surprising that Italian teams have always been masters at defending. As regards Genoa in particular, what will remain in my mind forever is the vigor and intensity with which this city lives the club. The passion is unique and it’s nice to see so many young children at fan parties and at the stadium.”
