Thursday, March 28, 2024

Giovinco: No one believed in me in Italy

SoccerNews in Serie A 7 Feb 2015

96 Views

Toronto FC signing Sebastian Giovinco revealed he left Italy because his compatriots did not believe in his ability.

Toronto FC striker Sebastian Giovinco appeared to hit out at the Italian media, and current and former coaches Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri and Cesare Prandelli on Friday.

Speaking at his first media conference since arriving in Canada, Giovinco claimed he had left Italy and his former club Juventus because he was tired of having his ability questioned.

The 28-year-old’s decision to leave the Serie A champions for the MLS caused a lot of consternation in Italy, with many claiming Giovinco will never play for his homeland again, but the tiny attacker indicated he will not miss his Italian critics.

“In Italy I had many problems. They always talked about me as a player who could not play at a very high level, but I always demonstrated with facts that that was not correct,” Giovinco said.

“I wanted to find a city, a team that from the beginning welcomed me, as this team has done.

“Therefore, my choice was the right choice.”

While his comments could be interpreted as criticising the Italian media, it also appeared to be a swipe against former Juventus boss Conte, who has now taken over from Prandelli as Italy’s head coach, as well as Allegri, who has taken charge at the defending champions this season, for not giving Giovinco enough playing time.

Giovinco played 31 games and scored seven goals in the 2012-13 Serie A campaign when Juventus won their first of three consecutive league titles.

But last season he made just 17 appearances in Serie A, including only six starts, to notch two goals, while this term his opportunities dwindled further, with seven games, two starts and zero goals in the Italian top flight.

In 2012, Giovinco played eight matches for Italy but his lack of game time for Juventus saw him play just three and four games in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Giovinco is looking forward to a new experience in the MLS and helping Toronto win their maiden championship.

“On the field, I want to win with this jersey because I want to be part of the history of this organisation and this team,” he said.

When asked what his former Juventus team-mates had said about his move to Canada, Giovinco replied with a smile: “The truth is that they all wanted to come and join us.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SoccerNews

Soccernews.com is news blog for soccer with comprehensive coverage of all the major leagues in Europe, as well as MLS in the United States. In addition we offer breaking news for transfers and transfer rumors, ticket sales, betting tips and offers, match previews, and in-depth editorials.

You can follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/soccernews.com or Twitter: @soccernewsfeed.

SHARE OR COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

WE RECOMMEND

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This field is required *

Join the conversation!

or Register

Live Scores

advertisement

Betting Guide Advertisement

advertisement

Become a Writer
More More
Top