02 December 2014
Felice Tufano has expressed his delight at how the league season is panning out for his high-flying Allievi Nazionali youngsters who currently sit top of Group A with 30 points to their name, six clear of nearest challengers Empoli.
But regardless of their strong start to the current campaign, Brescia-born Tufano, who took charge of the side this summer, insists it is the steady development of his team as individuals that counts, not necessarily the points on the board.
Speaking exclusively to Jtv, Tufano began: “It’s all down to the hard work put in by the lads, who improve week on week, and our championship form is a logical by product of the improvement of both individuals – the most important aspect – and the group as a whole.”
The latest of the 10 successes registered to date came in Sunday’s Derby della Mole triumph over Torino, with the divison’s top scorer Carlo Manicone netting his seventh strike of the season when he set the Bianconeri on their way to an eventual 3-1 success.
Complimenting his players on their performance in challenging conditions, Tufano continued: “They also played some decent stuff in the derby. It was a test of character but also a combative affair due to the state of the pitch. In spite of the heavy playing surface, the two teams produced a game with decent technical play, trying to get the ball down as much as possible.
“I felt we showed a little more in terms of our play and were rightly rewarded for the effort we put in. They were very dangerous from set pieces – bolstered by added height in attack and defence – but the only opportunity they really had was the one they scored from.”
The November break handed the Allievi a welcome period in which to recharge their batteries before commencing preparations for the derby, but with Sampdoria their next fixture on Sunday 14 December, there will be no easing off the accelerator until the Christmas holidays begin.
“These lads make plenty of sacrifices and a break is also useful from a psychological point of view. We’ll now prepare for our next game. The league is full of quality, which is an advantage for us. The players’ development also comes about by playing high quality fixtures.”
