Montella: 'Fiorentina to entertain'

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Vincenzo Montella explains Fiorentina’s mission is to “entertain the fans” and goes back over the chaotic situation with Dimitar Berbatov. “He was wrong.”

The Coach took over this summer after strong spells with Roma and Catania, charged with bringing enthusiasm back to the Stadio Franchi.

“Great work has been done here and I must admit I feel privileged to be here,” Montella told La Repubblica newspaper.

“The greatest thing is hearing the passion of the fans again. There is so much faith in us and we have to work in order to repay them.

“There is a trend for younger Coaches in Serie A, as in times of crisis there is always a search for new ideas. It happens in football and in society at large.

“I will admit every now and then I am tempted to take off my suit and run on to the pitch. It is a thought that flashes through my mind in a heartbeat, but it is still there. Then I remember I haven’t the lungs anymore and it ends there!”

Montella will be coaching one of his old friends, 35-year-old Luca Toni, in the Fiorentina squad this season.

“Toni is in better shape than I could’ve expected. He’ll be an important player for us. When you return to a city where you had great success, you rediscover that energy and enthusiasm to amaze people all over again.”

Toni was a last-minute addition after Berbatov abandoned a move to Fiorentina mid-flight from Manchester, negotiating first with Juventus and then eventually signing for Fulham.

“Berbatov? He made the wrong decision,” noted Montella. “I would ask Juve for an explanation as to what happened that day, but maybe I wouldn’t. I like my Fiorentina the way it is.

“There was the possibility Stevan Jovetic would leave, but he is an intelligent lad. I told him ‘we’ll have fun here and this will be good for you and your future.’ Maybe he had already figured that out for himself.

“Here we want to play football and entertain the fans. This is a brand new side with players from different experiences and cultures. The sooner we integrate all those elements, the earlier we can start showing what we can do.”