Coach of The National Team
Pozzo returned to coach the Italy national team on a permanent basis from December 1929 onwards on the basis that he would accept no money for the position. Italy won the 1930 version of the Central European International Cup, defeating Hungary 5-0 in Budapest where Hungary had yet to fail to win a game. They pipped the title from Meisl’s Austrian side, the so-called Wunderteam who went on to win the second edition of that tournament. As a memento of that victory, Pozzo would always carry a chip off the Central European International trophy. The trophy, made of Bohemian crystal, was dropped when Italy first won it, smashing into so many pieces that it could not be fixed.
Pozzo was remembered as a decisive leader. Following the 1930 defeat to Spain, Pozzo dropped Adolfo Baloncieri, his captain and an international of ten years standing. In the lead-up to the 1934 tournament, the auguries were not good. In 1932, Austria beat Italy, as did the Czechs, while a defeat to Hungary was only averted because of a missed penalty. This led to Pozzo bringing back the Bologna player Angelo Schiavio, who had been a regular goalscorer for his club, but in February 1934 with the World Cup looming Austria defeated Italy in Turin 4-2, Again Pozzo felled the axe on the team captain Umberto Caligaris.
Read more about this topic: Vittorio Pozzo
Famous quotes containing the words coach, national and/or team:
“President Lowell of Harvard appealed to students to prepare themselves for such services as the Governor may call upon them to render. Dean Greenough organized an emergency committee, and Coach Fisher was reported by the press as having declared, To hell with football if men are needed.”
—For the State of Massachusetts, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Not one of our national officers ever has had a dollar of salary. I retire on full pay!”
—Susan B. Anthony (18201906)
“Relying on any one disciplinary approachtime-out, negotiation, tough love, the star systemputs the parenting team at risk. Why? Because children adapt to any method very quickly; todays effective technique becomes tomorrows worn dance.”
—Ron Taffel (20th century)