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Capello, Conte, Wilmots on top footballers

Xinhua, December 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Italian football coaches Fabio Capello, Antonio Conte and Belgium's national team manager Marc Wilmots said here on Monday that football professionals in national teams can no longer rely on their playing qualities alone, and that they have to develop leadership capacities to reach the top and to remain there. 

   The three elite coaches shared their views on the future of football stars during a joint workshop titled "How to stay at the top" on the second and last day of the 10th Dubai Sports Council conference.

   Capello, 69, said that young and experienced players shall never stop learning and respect the coach.

   "You must make the players understand what it means to play with a national jersey. Then you must identify the potential leaders in the team,"  said Capello who was sacked as Russia's national team coach in July this year. He criticized that "sometimes the media create fake stars."

   Wilmots recommended young hopefuls to take their mission serious and always think of their responsibility towards the team, the coach and the fans. "I do not like to have comedians in a squad," said Wilmots.

   "Don't be manipulative, play the match professionally, be real players,"  said the 46-year old former national player.

   Belgium climbed to top of the FIFA world rankings for the first time ever in November after the "Red Devils" defeated Israel 3-1 in the Euro 2016 qualifying match on Oct. 13 this year. 

   In his speech, Italy's national team head coach Conte stressed the importance of the close relation between a leading player and the coach.      "A talented soccer player can convey the idea of the coach. He is a man who shows respect his team mate and the coach," said the head trainer of the "Squadra Azzurra" (Savoy blue squad) as Italy's national team is called. 

   All three coaches agreed that sustainable physical fitness is of utmost importance to remain on the top. Capello revealed how he struggled as club coach of Real Madrid from 2006 to 2007 when he urged Brazilian star player Ronaldo to reduce his weight from his then 96kg to 84kg.

   "Eighty-four kilograms were his weight when he won the world cup in 2002 in Japan. Unfortunately, Ronaldo never regained the discipline to get rid of his overweight and this had a bad influence on the entire team spirit," said Capello.  Endi