Still honour among thieves in football

ROBERTO DE ZERBI is a man of clear principles on and off the pitch.

The engaging Italian claims his footballing philosophy is very simple.

“Coaches are all thieves but we have to have one new idea,” said the Brighton boss.

“Mine? I love to try to win the game with the ball – I want to enjoy it.”

His refusal to take a job at Bologna, his vocal opposition to the European Super League and his time in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk have shown he lives to strict guidelines.

“I don’t want to be a teacher of life but I have – not too many – four or five rules in my style of life,” he said.

“I don’t want to compromise these rules.”

Before De Zerbi accepted the job at the Amex Stadium in September, he was approached by Bologna.The Serie A side had caused outrage by sacking Sinisa Mihajlovic while the 53-yearold was battling leukaemia.

De Zerbi, 43, did not know Mihajlovic but declined – and was thanked by the Serb’s wife Arianna.

“One of my most important principles is that before the coach, there is a man, there is a person,” he said. “I care about being correct with everyone. In my life I can look everyone in the eye and be correct and honest with them.”

It is the same with the European breakaway league, which De Zerbi opposed in April 2021 just before taking his Sassuolo team to face AC Milan. He threatened not to play in protest, before winning 2-1 at the San Siro.

“I didn’t like how it came about – it arrived in the night,” he said: “I was a fan (of Brescia) and I remember well what fans do to watch the games, their sacrifices.

“We had the possibility to win at Manchester

City [last month]. It was

80 percent we could lose but the dream was to win. I want this dream.

This is football. When