UEFA Super Cup winner and new Olympic FC youth coach Stefano Salvatori believes competition amongst a combined squad will prepare the club’s bright talents for senior National Premier Leagues football.

The former AC Milan player, also a squad member during the Italian giants’ European Cup-winning 1989/90 season, has joined the NPL Queensland premiers and will lead Olympic’s collective U20s/U18s squad in 2014.

“All players have the possibility of playing in the seniors,” Salvatori said.

“We have a bigger squad and the players understand the situation. It is very good, because most of the players are the same age which means there is good competition.”

The former Italy U21 player enjoyed a 18-year career in Europe, playing under the likes of Arrigo Sacchi and Sven Goran Eriksson, and is looking to instil his own coaching philosophies into the promising group.

“I try to teach young players the key to life and football success is through eight guiding principles – passion, hard work, focus, discipline, courage, sacrifice, belief and joy,” he said.

“[Senior Men's Head Coach] Jim Bellas and [Technical Director] Gabor Ganczer will be watching the squad so if a player shows us they are working hard and are disciplined then we can decide to move them to the first team.

“That is very clear for all the players and it is a very good philosophy for the club. I speak with Jim every week to decide which players will train with the senior team.

“I hope also the parents understand the reasons for the bigger squad, because it is very important to have good competition, to come to training, to be serious, to work hard.”

Salvatori shared some of the highlights of his career, which included starting at the Nou Camp in the first leg of AC Milan’s 1989 Super Cup win over Barcelona and playing alongside the likes of Paolo Maldini and Ruud Gullit at the Rossoneri and Roberto Baggio and Gabriel Batistuta at Fiorentina.

However, two teammates stood out above the rest.

“I can pick two: for me, Dunga [at Fiorentina] was a great leader on the pitch and Marco Van Basten was another talented player. I was very lucky to play with some top players,” the Rome native said.

“Then because of the Bosman rule I could go to Scotland in 1996, where we [Heart of Midlothian] won the Scottish Cup Final.

“It was very exciting. The city went crazy because in 42 years they had not won anything, then we won the trophy – against Rangers, especially.”

Now, though, Salvatori is focussed on developing Olympic FC’s youth for their own bright futures.

“I was here first for the AC Milan Academy and I met Gabor and he was very professional. I also came here last year as a coach a few times and heard Olympic was a good club.

“I am very happy to work here,” Salvatori concluded.

 

Words: Matt Dorman (Olympic FC)
Image: Stefano Salvatori