Claudio Ranieri, after having managed world-class clubs like Napoli, Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Juventus to name a few, made a heroic return to his managerial debut side – Cagliari Calcio, 3 decades after he left them and toured the world.
That said, the Italian manager is now 71 years old and you would want to believe that his approach to coaching and managing teams would be along traditional methods.
However, the 71-year-old manager who is again tasked with the job of taking a Serie B side to the top flight of Italian football is quite well-versed with technology and clearly has the ability to leverage it for a better understanding of the game.
Following a heroic return to the Sardegna Arena till 2025, Ranieri said that while he predicted a return to the Italian side in the 90s, he will need the support of his club and the fans in order to hopefully mimic his ’88-’91 run where he quite literally dragged the team from the 3rd tier to Serie A.
And in a recent interview, the 71-year-old Italian revealed his secrets to integrating the use of technology to better the game his team plays.
When asked about whom he talks with during games, Ranieri responded, “I talk to myself! I have new phones & smartwatches, so I record notes. When I watch the game back, I know which moments to look for. Some write things down, but I prefer to record. That way I can continue watching the game.”
In a world of football that is increasingly divided by the foray of technology to assist referees in decision-making on the pitch, there are few that appreciate its benefits.
As such, it is still quite encouraging to see a man of yesteryear utilizing these tools to his benefit.
However, all said and done, while Ranieri is a proven commodity in the world of football with the skill and ambition to make teams win championships, he will have his work cut out for him with the Serie B side given that they are currently placed at the 8th position in the table.
Since the Serie B resumed on the 4th of January, 2023 following a seven and half weeks long break, the Cagliari have managed to scrape a 2-0 win against Como and will now face 17th-placed Cittadella on the 21st of January, 2023.
It remains to be seen whether the Italian manager can fortify his name in the Sardegna Arena as the manager that took the Cagliari from the lower rungs of Italian football into the Serie A, twice.
If he does, he will undoubtedly become one of the best Italian managers to have ever graced the hallowed game of football.