“In Italy, we have an enormous pool of kids who play soccer and have a real passion for the game. We need to find better ways to develop them.”

After four Nations League matches that saw several young players being called up to the Italian National Team — and some made a strong impression — Gian Piero Gasperini, who has long focused on developing young talent, puts the responsibility squarely on the adults. It is not enough to have so many kids playing the game; coaches must do their part, too.

We met the Roma coach in Castelnuovo Don Bosco, near Asti, at the winery he runs with his son, Davide, together with Paolo Vergnano and Federico Mussetto. They were there to present 343, a new Freisa DOC wine named after the tactical system that has defined much of Gasperini’s career.

You have a great eye for young talent, and at Roma the latest example is Nicolò Pisilli. How do you develop that eye?

“I come from the youth system. I started working with kids and then with slightly older players, all the way up to the Primavera level. So, I’ve always paid particular attention to young players.

“This year, we’re seeing young players emerge who could have an important future with the National Team. They’re already doing well, and that’s encouraging.”

Does Italy need coaches to show more courage in giving young players a chance, or are there still too few who are truly ready?

“Yes, coaches certainly need a little more courage. But a lot also depends on how teams are built at the beginning of the season.

“I’ve always believed that young players give you the answers. It’s the same with older players: You put them on the field, they start by playing a few minutes, then maybe a little more. Eventually, they give you the answers.”

What needs to change in youth development?

“Maybe what we adults are doing isn’t the best approach. If such a large pool produces so few players at a high level, we should figure out how to create the right conditions for it to produce more top players.”

After a little more than a year at Roma, what is your assessment so far?

“This is a good period. But we know very well that we must keep moving forward with consistency, always with great passion and determination.

“Journeys are never a straight line. There are always cycles: You go up, then you come down. And it’s precisely in those moments that you need the strength to start again and keep believing.”

During this period, you’ve given Roma personality as well as tactical structure. What’s the secret?

“As in every situation, I think the secret is to work well and professionally, and then to have good players, great people, a good club and an enthusiastic environment. It’s a little like working in the vineyards: You need all those elements.”

How do you build an impenetrable defense?

“It depends. Sometimes it’s simply a team’s characteristics. There are seasons when attacking play prevails. But in the end, when you’re competing at the highest level, the teams that get rewarded are those capable of both defending and attacking.”

Which teams have surprised you most in Serie A?

“It’s still early. Five games aren’t much. I think this will be a very balanced championship. But in the opening games, Cagliari and Frosinone surprised me.”

It’s been said that you personally convinced Dybala to stay with Roma. Is that true?

“I certainly thought that Dybala, as a great champion, absolutely had to stay with Roma. But the most important factor was his own desire, along with the club’s and the entire organization.”

In a sense, has he found himself again?

“He’s always been a great player.”

How important is teamwork in this process?

“Fundamental. Teamwork is made up of many different elements, in sports, in soccer and in every other area of life.

“If you don’t have a team around you, where everyone respects their role, carries it out to the best of their ability and works toward a common goal, you’re not going anywhere.”

In 2023, you invested in the wine business in the Asti area. The latest wine to arrive at the winery is 343 Freisa DOC Vigna del Forno. The name evokes your famous 3-4-3 formation, which you experimented with in Juventus’ youth system in the 1990s. How has it evolved over the years?

“I saw it in the Netherlands, at Ajax, at a time when it wasn’t used much in Italy. I started experimenting with it in the youth system, looking for adjustments that could work here as well.

“With the professionals, I started at Crotone and then went to Genoa, where it evolved the most. It was never a rigid way of playing. It was different from what it is today, different at Genoa and different again at Atalanta.

“But it became something that defined me throughout my career, and it gave me an identity that I’ve always liked, even when it was debated and criticized.

“Over time, it became a reference point for many other coaches and teams. I think its best evolution came at Atalanta, when we started playing in the European competitions. That’s when it really achieved success.”

Why did you give the wine that name?

“Freisa is the wine my uncles and my father used to drink here in the area. It wasn’t considered a ‘big’ wine, just as some teams may not have been considered big when I started out.

“But it has enormous potential, and I think it is less appreciated than it deserves to be.

“The idea for the new wine came from that parallel: Just as the 3-4-3 established itself over time, we hope Freisa, too, can emerge and gain recognition for its qualities and potential.”