From Swansea to Aversa Normanna, Danilo Stavola: ‘In Italy we have a lot to learn from Premier League’

From the Premier League in Wales to the coming back to Campania. It is not the route taken by a player who has failed to break through in Great Britain, but that of a young insider who is making up his career in football world. We are talking about Danilo Stavola, who has got the license issued to a scout from the Italian Football Federation. After serving for two years as a scout for Italy for the Academy U21 of Swansea and as a technical consultant for the first team of Garry Monk always for Italy, this summer Stavola began working with Aversa Normanna, that only two years ago was fighting in the third Italian division and now plays in Serie D, the fourth Italian division. For Il Solito Calcio, I interviewed the talent scout, who does not lack future prospects but the experience neither, despite his age.

From Swansea to Aversa Norman: what has changed for Danilo Stavola?

“Actually, not much has changed for me. Yesterday like today, I work everyday in football and watch matches. I don’t live this like a step back. In Aversa I'm lucky to work with a serious, healthy, with a young project club and, above all, along with two extraordinary people as the sporting director Orabona and the coach Chianese. I think I can learn so much from this experience”.

What memories do you keep of your adventure as a scout of the Swans?

“It 's been a fantastic adventure and I will always thank Mr. Monk for giving me this opportunity. Unfortunately Garry has gone away from Swansea and the club changed the managerial asset. Today there are few people still there among the ones with whom I shared this experience. But a piece of my heart will always jack army”.

Talking about your job, what this experience has enriched you?

“I learned to work in a more practical, streamlined and straightforward way. I will explain this. In Wales specific tasks were given to me. I had to look for players of a certain age with certain technical and physical characteristics. And they demanded short and concise reports without extra frills”.

What differences have you found in the way of making scouting in Italy and the United Kingdom?

“I must say that since I had the opportunity to learn and apply everyday the method of 'tactical role’ by Professor Marco Zunino, the differences were attenuated. Certainly there are some differences and preferences. In UK they prefer more physical and structured players, even at the expense of technique. In Italy, however, we still prefer short-limbed and good technically footballers”.

What the Italian workers should learn from the British ones?

“I answer you with three words that contain the essence of my deep love for English football and British lifestyle: professionalism, competence, meritocracy”.

How the Italian league can try to fill the gap with the Premier League?

“Repeating sounds corny, but as long as we understand the importance to equip ourselves with sports centers, as well as club-owned stadiums, and until we focus on more intense training, we will not do very well”.

But why the British players have so much problems to emerge and assert themselves in Serie A?

“Good question. I have asked that myself many times. I think the exasperated tactics of the Italian football make things hard for them. But physically and technically, they have nothing to envy to the many foreigners who live in Italian championship”.

Luca Iannone