Daniele Padelli appeared on TV12’s Udinese Tonight to discuss how preparations are going for both him and the squad, as well as Udinese’s objectives for the season. Here’s some of what the veteran goalkeeper had to say:
“I’m happy to still be here and I’m grateful for the trust the club has in me - I hope to repay it. I know exactly what my role in the team is, and I try to fulfil it to the best of my ability.
“I have to prepare for the future – all players have to hang up their boots at some point, and that time will come for me one day. I hope that at the next pre-season training camp I’ll be working in a non-playing capacity.
“We’re all professionals. We know this is a special time of the season, especially here in Udine. We have a large squad - some players will arrive, others will leave - but we know we must work hard to prepare ourselves as best we can, whatever the future holds. As a group, we’re on the right track. We’ve picked up right where we left off last season, when we proved we were a united squad, which is a fundamental part of any team.
“[Nicolo] Zaniolo is here with us, and he’s going to entertain us again this year. When he came back, I asked him if he’d enjoyed his time at the beach [laughs]. Jokes aside, I asked if he was at ease, happy with his new contract and felt fully part of the project. We know what kind of player he is, but a player doesn't perform well if they aren’t happy. However, he’s assured me that he’s settled and has resolved his issues. What was important was for him to show he’s 100% committed to us, and I can vouch for that completely.
“We know that winning is great - it makes the team, the club, the fans and everyone else feel good. We got a taste of that last year - we had a big season and achieved a milestone that had eluded us for many years. That being said, Serie A is tough - every season is different, and any team can have a good season or a bad one. Consistency makes the difference, and that’s what we need to strive to achieve. If we do, results and satisfaction will follow. Last season gave us solid foundations, but now we need to do a little bit more.”