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Ademola Lookman To PSG: Is The Atalanta Scudetto Dream Over? (Ep. 448)
1.8k Plays1 year ago
With Ademola Lookman handing in a transfer request to force a PSG transfer, Teun Koopmeiners on brink of joining Juventus, plus after Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca both suffering ACL injuries, Nima Tavallay and Carlo Garganese debate discuss and analyze what impact this has short-term on Atalanta chances of winning the Serie A or long term in their dream to win their first fabled Scudetto.
This is a clip from the weekly Thursday episode of the Italian Football Podcast.
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Transcript
Lukman's Move to PSG Shocks Atalanta
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. On Atalanta though, and we have to talk about Adamola Lukman because this absolutely rocked Atalanta and because it came out of nowhere, completely out of nowhere, where everybody knows about Koopmein's situation. We know that before the summer he wanted to leave, the Juventus have been in negotiations for but for months now and that that comes as no surprise and everybody kind of expected that Koopmeiners would eventually leave anyway.
00:00:31
Speaker
So that's fine. They've been able to plan and prepare for when he leaves. and and But then Lukman, this was completely unplanned. This came out of nowhere. PSG so late in the window, of just like a week and a half or so before the the transfer window closes, they they suddenly come in with an approach for Lukman, offer him a you know ah contract that's that's obviously much higher in salary than than what he gets.
00:00:56
Speaker
at Atalanta and he took they they basically turn Lucan's head and he and he he he wants to join PSG and he he tells Atalanta that he wants to join PSG. He basically tells them that he's not in the you know that he's not in the frame of mind to play against Leché in this game. um So he's left out of the squad for for the Leché game And um it's ah first of all, if we we can talk about this just just from the lookman point of view, and just just the lookman transfer itself, and then we'll come on to kind of what it means as a whole for Atlanta going forward. um What do you do if you're I mean, first of all, what do you what do you think of PSG's behavior first, they come in with 10, 10 days to
Criticism of PSG's Timing and Transfer Window Issues
00:01:43
Speaker
go?
00:01:43
Speaker
I think it's no different than what you have done with Cop Miners. This is powerful of course. Unfortunately, and there's nothing smaller clubs can do, even if they are...
00:01:56
Speaker
are Atalanta who are incredibly well run. It's how you handle these situations. It's how you react to these situations, which I think define them. There's no, you know, cop miners is under contract with Atalanta, but refuses to play because he wants to go to Uwe. The same thing happens here with Lukman. Yeah, but I mean more about making this offer so late in the window. Look, if the window's open to the 31st, it's open to the 31st. There's no late, early. You can criticize If you, if, you know, it, it depends on the situation. Like for example, if when Chelsea came in for the 115 million euros, which model or first 90 and then Marotta bumped it up to 150 million euros for Lukaku, you can be a little bit like, well, it's in there. You're reigning champions. You should, you know, Marotta, you should be handling these situations a bit better, but of course the financial situation, blah, blah, blah. Here with Atalanta, they really can't do anything. They literally can't do anything. They are where they are in the food chain. They can't turn down that kind of money.
00:02:54
Speaker
Luckman is doing what he's doing and you know the the middle-sized and smaller clubs like Atalanta will always end up getting screwed. It's just how it is. its This is the the reality we live in.
00:03:08
Speaker
It's it's always been like this Barcelona turned it into a sport. Real Madrid and Barcelona turned that into a sport. But before, you know, Milan used to do it in the 90s in that I've done it, you know, this is they all do it. This is this is just I do I do I do agree with with with Gasparini and Atlanta that it is ridiculous that the transfer window is still open once the season has started.
00:03:32
Speaker
That needs to stop. I've had enough of that that. I really hate that. like That needs to stop. Either the season starts later or the transfer window starts it ends earlier. yeah We cannot have this. I've hated it. It's the one of the it's one probably the only time I've ever agreed with Arsene Wenger on anything when it comes to football. um And that is this. We cannot have a situation where the window starts, where the window is still open, and we're three we're playing two, three games in the middle of that. it's just it makes those games completely meaningless um because they they become like like glorified friendlies and it's completely destabilized. I'm 100% in favor of closing the transfer window on the 15th of August
00:04:19
Speaker
before the first. They did try it once, didn't they? They tried it, but not all leagues were in unison. Well, that's exactly the problem. It was like i think the Premier League started early and then all the rest of them did it later. And then the Premier League were like, well, that gives you an advantage. So we're going to just go back and start later again. That's the problem. This has has to come from UEFA level. They have to have for the for the teams that do the winter to summer season, the transfer window has to close. Open it on June 1st or June 15th, June 15th, August 15th, two months.
00:04:50
Speaker
That's it, because they it officially opens on July 1st, which is stupid. June 15th, August 15th, the season, the in between then, the season can end and the season can start. You have the same period for preseason as well. Like there's no, this is silly. This is absolutely silly because it also, again, it's one of these things of European football that they could learn from the United States as well. like or like from the way that they have these like deadline days. And I know they can still, and then they open again for trading and and like um you can turn it into a thing. Do you know what I mean?
00:05:25
Speaker
because now it's just silly. It really, really makes the opening two, three games of the season like just like a farce. A player could score for onego for one team in one game, and then go two weeks later, go for it to another team, the same Lincoln score. I mean, it's just it's is silly. It's absolutely silly. and And they need to do something about it. They really do. I really, really hate this, and I've hated it for a long time. I agree. What do you make of Lukerman's behavior, though?
00:05:51
Speaker
Um, again, I can't blame him too much. This is again, this is not the only one. He's not the first one. He's not the last
Atalanta's Strategy Amid Player Losses
00:05:57
Speaker
one. Um, and this is going to happen for, for us you know, this is Atalanta's place in the food chain. For me, what I want to talk about is how you react to it. And that's why I say that Atalanta have won, have easily won the meaningless crown of Regina de la Mercato, but they are constructing the far more meaningful and far more meaningful situation, which could potentially lead them to actually challenging for a Seriyar title. If not this season, the next season, because the way that they've landed by bringing in Lazar Samadzic, the way that they landed by bringing in Rehtagi,
00:06:36
Speaker
The way that they've land landed by bringing in Brescanini. Now this talk of if, if what's his name? Lukman goes to PSG. They're just going to go in and pay Atalanta the 30, so Fiorentina the 30 million straight up. No loan with an obligation option, blah, blah, blah. Here, cash upfront, boom. I don't think that's going to happen. um but But if it does. But that's what I'm saying. like It depends on how you how you bounce back. And that that so far they have bounced back from every single setback.
00:07:06
Speaker
done the best thing they can because they don't just react and sign a big name player. They're so organized, it's so obvious that every single player they sign is designed to play a role in a system. and it's you know We'll have to just wait and see. Maybe Elbil Altore, we don't know what's happened with him. umm He's getting sold. He hasn't been sold yet, but i mean my my point is simply, we'll have to wait and see.
00:07:35
Speaker
i think I think they've handled it brilliantly, is what I want to say. And I think with Rettigy, again, I think a brilliant example of what I'm talking about with with with signing players for a system and the who can express themselves brilliantly in that system, I think is Rettigy, which is why when he was signed, i I was questioning publicly, thinking out loud, will he win the copper will he become Capo Canoneira? And I've stopped thinking. I usually wait until the end of the Mercato. I really think Mateo Rettig is going to win the top goalscore in the Serie A for the simple reason that he fits that system brilliantly. They're a team that creates lots of chances and if you have a player who can convert
00:08:12
Speaker
as well as Rettigy does. by just by If he can stay injury free just by definition, he will get so many chances that if he can just put away 70-80% of those chances, that's 25-30. My issue here is this. As I said, going into the the the summer transfer window, Atalanta having won the Europa League, coming off that high,
00:08:35
Speaker
ah looking at that that the team and the squad that they had, um even taking into account the fact that everybody expected Koop Miners to leave, it was kind of an open secret that he was going to leave to join Juventus. Even taking that into account, um I thought that Atalanta were in a position where if they had a good summer transfer market,
00:08:55
Speaker
and they kept everyone fair. And I'm talking after Europa League final, not after, so this is before the Scalvini injury, that Atalanta were in a position with their squad where if they just had a good transfer market, kept all the rest of their players, which they they've said they said publicly, they were going they weren't going to sell anyone, that they were in a position that you know just with a couple of additions,
00:09:18
Speaker
and They were you know definitely in a position so to challenge the Scudetto. Then, obviously, since then, they've lost um maybe their best defender, Scalvini. They've lost, obviously, Scamaca, both of them, basically, for the season with ACLs. Koop miners is leaving, of course, to is going to lead to join PSG.
00:09:37
Speaker
And then all of a sudden out of nowhere, you know Lookman who was there their hero in the Europa League final With the hat trick, you know asked to leave to join PSG and you're you're looking at really on paper four of their five best players I would say Edison is the other is the other one I would say they're there those were there their five best players and going into the new season and they've lost four of them and then I look at the players that have been brought in and I think You know okay magnificent debbie for recipe and you could go on and and like you say it could be end up being couple kind of near we'll see Breccinini who I think is you know, I think has got got potential God free summits it says any oil or these the players that they've come in a better Nova should come in as well But the the the point I'm making is
00:10:22
Speaker
are on paper the players that are brought in, are Atalanta a stronger team now ah than they were before? ah On paper I think the answer to that is definitely no. and before yeah so Then of course there's the whole intangible with Atalanta which is that you know these players might on paper look weaker now but we know what Atalanta does with players, how they maximise them and make them make them top players. but A lot of the players, you know, Koop miners wasn't the player he was when he joined. Lukman certainly wasn't. He was a journeyman going around and he's been made to to this high level. Skamaka was destroyed by Moyes. Scalvini was just a youngster. So I totally understand that, that suddenly, you know, we might be talking of Breccinini in the same way we're talking of Koop miners now in a year's time.
00:11:09
Speaker
Rettaghi, we might be talking like as as one of the the top strikers in Serie A in a year's time. Sammicic, who of course is a clear talent, we might be talking of him as as a top player. You know, so I totally get that. I'm just talking about what we can save for sure now. Atalanta are weaker on paper now than they were at the start of the minute. And I just think that that's a big shame in terms of where they were. um I just thought they they were really close to being in a position to challenge for the Scudetto.
00:11:39
Speaker
And now they kind of, it's almost like they have to start again. And that's just very, very frustrating for me. I understand that, but at the same time, I don't think their tactics are static. I think if there's anything Gasperini has shown, it's that he can adapt and tweak to the players. his the The overall blueprint of the system is the same, but he tweaks within it. And that's why players like Rittagib, Rishanini, et cetera, et cetera, all work. ah whoever I mean, we've seen him do this for like what it feels like almost a decade now.
00:12:08
Speaker
But we've seen him do this time and time and time and time and time and time again. He has a system, but he tweaks and changes within that system. um I think that it will be a different Atalanta to last season, but it will be an Atalanta that will play well well the players that come in still suit that system overall.
Tactical Adaptability and Player Development at Atalanta
00:12:28
Speaker
And he will change how they play in order to get the best out of those players, which is exactly what he has always done.
00:12:36
Speaker
And I'm i'm not going to, I'm tired of underestimating them. I'm not going to do that anymore. And I'm not going to overestimate them. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. And I think that what they've done, I think Samadzic is a fantastic sign for them. Brescanini as well. Zagnolo, big question Mark, but it doesn't really cost them anything. Rettegi, I think he's going to be Capo Canoneira because I think he suits that system brilliantly and he's a killer in the box. And he takes penalties.
00:13:05
Speaker
um I guess the question is, Nimmer, do you think they can challenge for the Scletto Realist this season? Can I get back to you on that after the 31st? Yeah, that's fair. I would just say that as we're talking right now, um I give Atalanta less chance, you know and I'm not going to be a prisoner of the moment. no Prisoner of the moment, you know and reacting to them winning 4-0 against Lecce.
00:13:30
Speaker
No, I'm not doing that. i I'm not going to do that because that that can cloud things. But I would say realistically, do I think that Atalanta have more chance to win the Scudetto now than than they did at the start of the summer? Absolutely not. Far less chance. And that that's my overall issue. Having said that, though, you know, let's let's hope that they can have a big transfer market because I mean, if they can have all that poop miners money to spend, they're going to have all the ah money from Lukman if he goes. If he goes, um you know, he might not. Maybe he won't. Maybe he'll stay. look They're going to have a lot of money to spend. I do think, though, Nimr, Bellanova is a great sign. I think he's perfect for the system. I think he's got all the attributes to really push on, which is another good thing for the team. I think he's got all the attributes that can be maximized by he's very quick. ah He's he is up and down. He never stops running. um And, you know, he's got that depth.
00:14:18
Speaker
um I think I think he he will get with him and Ruggieri on the on the fullbacks. I think we we could be looking at the strongest wingbacks that the Atalanta have had since their heyday of of Gossens and Hatova when they were so devastated during the you know the season. they got and And I'm not, I just want to clarify, I'm not being a prisoner of the moment either. But what I'm doing is um what I'm saying is I'm looking at this overall and I've looked at what Gasparini has done since Papo Gomez until today.
00:14:46
Speaker
And I've seen how they have lost player after player after player. The overall blueprint of the system is the same, but he tweaks within it. He recalibrates. I have no doubt. I have no doubt. I've no doubt they're going to still be a very good team and they're going to. No, no. but My issue is like what I'm saying is I'm not like my my thing with like whether whether they can. Like I said, I want to wait until the 31st before I can say I tell you what this is. what what of Let me just finish my
Can Atalanta Still Challenge for the Scudetto?
00:15:11
Speaker
point. I want to wait until the 31st before I can make my like make a final decision on whether or not They're going to compete for the Scudetto or not, because I think that's that that's still very much in the air. But when it comes to retegi being capo canonere, that's not a prisoner of the moment thing. I think, again, they sign players for specific roles to interpret specific roles with specific characteristics.
00:15:31
Speaker
Rittegi's characteristic is he's a killer in the box, he's excellent movement, he can smell a danger before it happens and he takes penalties and he's good at them. So I think that that already I did before a game ball was kicked. That's just fair enough. So what I'm saying is I do think that they're going to be a top five side. Whether or not how far they go, I want to wait because I want to see how they react to this Lukman thing. All I can say is, based on previous judgment, how they have reacted to losing players from Papo Gomez to Skamaka and to Cook Miners,
00:16:06
Speaker
they've always landed on their feet and that's why I'm giving them the bet. They've always landed on their feet but they've never put in a Scudetta Challenge and that's what pisses me off because I believe they were in ah in a position ready to launch a Scudetta Challenge with just one or two tweaks, one or two additions and they would have been ready and now it pisses me off that they've suddenly lost four of pillars of the team ah and and they have to go again and try and rebuild again ah from scratch. I have no doubt that that rebuild will be successful but, um you know,
00:16:40
Speaker
successful enough to to win the Scudetto. That's a very, very much of a question mark. Whereas I don't think it was a question mark at the start of the summer. I think it was ah it was ah not a guarantee, but I think they were, like I said, in a very, very strong position. And that pisses me off. I and i think that pisses off Atlanta. I think they've admitted that themselves because they because they said at the start of the summer, we don't plan to sell anyone ah other than coop miners who they who they didn't say publicly, but kind of everybody knew privately that they were going to sell him.
00:17:07
Speaker
and now all of a sudden they've lost four of their players so it's it's annoying it irritates me um and um but we'll see we'll see what they do i think they're going to be quite busy in the next the next 10 days for sure