EXCLUSIVE: Hungary coach Marco Rossi says expectations are high for Euro 2024
Rossi is an experienced football man, given his almost 60 years of age. He has arrived on the biggest stage quite late in his life, however. He has admitted it himself, saying that he had a "rather mediocre" first part of his coaching career. Today he is the head coach of a Hungary team that head to Euro 2024 after winning their qualifying group and remaining unbeaten for a year and nine months.
In this exclusive interview with Flashscore, the coach from Piedmont analyses his journey so far and talks about how he is approaching the upcoming competition, his second with the Hungarian national team.
Before losing to Ireland in a friendly a few days ago, you had last lost to Italy in September 2022. How are you feeling ahead of Euro 2024?
"I think we definitely did well in the qualifiers, coming first in the group and deservedly so. We had a bit of luck in the matches against Serbia, but we are growing and we hope to confirm that in this tournament."
Your path to the finals was practically spotless. Was there anything to work on along the way?
"Every game, depending on how it goes, can be useful to try to correct something. Against Ireland, we didn't deserve to lose, but we made a couple of mistakes that we paid for.
"But now, given the opponents, we can't repeat things like that. Maximum attention will be needed. We lost due to a late goal following a corner in our favour, and we will benefit immediately from this mistake."
Is this the tournament you have entered with the highest expectations since you have been in charge of Hungary?
"It is undoubtedly so, given the way we arrive. There is no lack of expectations. The path and the results we have achieved mean that now the ambitions are higher. But if I said I would be content to play three good matches and go out with applause I would be telling a lie.
"My personal goal is to qualify (for the second stage), even though we have three high-profile and respectable opponents to play. Then, as always, we will need that little bit of luck, which never hurts."
Let's face it, it is important to start well against Switzerland...
"The first match is always very important because it helps you start making some considerations (about the qualification). In the last Euros, we went out due to the defeat in the first match against Portugal (3-0), and that result was not fair, since the defeat arrived in the final part of the game."
What do you fear about Switzerland, who you will face on Saturday?
"They have experience, quality, many players who come from the best leagues, some even from top clubs. I won't even mention the individuality they have at their disposal. Our aim is to create problems for them in the development phase of the game."
Can you feel the support of the Hungarian fans?
"The closer it gets to the start of the tournament, the more you can feel the passion of the people. I only remember enthusiasm like this during the Euro preparations in Hungary in 2016 when I was then the coach of Honved and the Hungarians were back to play a European Championship after 44 years."
Next, it will be Germany in Stuttgart, against the hosts...
"When you play against a great team which also plays at home, if you go onto the field with too many fears, you'll never come out again. We should try to play with personality and courage, aim to prevent the Germans from doing what they do best, that is, everything (laughs)."
To leave everything to a playoff against Scotland would be both spectacular and risky.
"Personally, I'm not going to make any calculations, also because it's not in our nature. Our goal is to go game after game giving our all at every opportunity. Right now we are 100 per cent focused on the match against Switzerland."
You have been using a three-man defence for a long time, which is very fashionable nowadays thanks to successful examples such as those implemented by Gian Piero Gasperini and Simone Inzaghi. And it is a system that Luciano Spalletti is also using...
"In football, there are always new trends and new ideas. Some time ago people used to label those who used the three-man defence as defensive or retrograde. Then, suddenly, this system became fashionable! Actually, I use it because it is more functional for my players."
Scolari's Brazil won a World Cup with a three-man defence...
"I can only speak for myself. Personally, I really like playing with three at the back, I have been using this method for four years now, which has also evolved by changing concepts, principles and players. Our intention is to offer a mixed game between positional and relational, something that suits us well."
Spalletti seems to be using this system recently to enhance Federico Chiesa, a second striker who suits it. Will you do the same with your star Dominik Szoboszlai?
"Well, for us Dominik has an ill-defined function because he is free to add to the build-up in the middle of the pitch, acting as an extra man, and then to be found immediately or as a second striker in the front line.
"For us, he is an attacking player and we want to use him as close to the penalty area as possible. Although he is free to move and find space all over the pitch trying to create a numerical superiority with the ball at his disposal, this can give us an advantage."