Former Sassuolo coach Roberto De Zerbi has opened up about his somewhat controversial decision to join Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, pointing at the lack of autonomy for coaches in Serie A as a reason.
The 41-year-old drew much interest from clubs in Italy after announcing the end of his time with the Neroverdi, but opted for Ukraine in a decision that certainly turned heads.
The talented coach most recently guided Sassuolo to two consecutive eighth-placed finishes in Serie A before opting for a change of scenery and has now made it clear as to why he avoided offers from Italy.
“Offers from Italy weren’t very stimulating,” De Zerbi said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Some Italian clubs made contact, and don’t ask me which ones, but I think I made the right choice [in choosing Shakhtar].”
He went on to talk about the Ukrainian side’s proposal allowing him to do what he does best, without intervening, thus calling into question the running of Serie A sides.
“Shakhtar convinced me from a technical and tactical point of view, whereas the Italian options didn’t stimulate me,” De Zerbi said.
“I chose this club because I’m allowed to put my ideas first, I have complete autonomy over what happens on-field and the possibility to affect what happens in terms of the club’s squad list.”
One thing that seems certain is that the Serie A clubs who went for the coach weren’t allowing such freedom, and therefore this could hinder their onboarding of top managers going forward.
