The Italian coach talks about himself from Budapest: “I said no to the Premier League and the Bundesliga, they never wanted me in Italy. In fact, they asked me for money to coach. Here the streets are quiet and we work well. Everyone knows Szoboszlai, but I took Varga when he was working in a factory…“
Marco Rossi chose Hungary to invest in the restaurant business and found himself feasting with the legends of the ”Golden Team.“ ”In June 2022, we scored four goals against England in Wolverhampton. It was a day to tell my children, grandchildren, and anyone who wants to listen about. Hungary hadn’t conquered the island since the 6-3 win at Wembley in 1953.“ From Puskas to Rossi. ”I thought about how life and destiny are linked. My grandfather spent his afternoons telling me about the Grande Torino and the Hungarian Golden Team. In 2011, I flew to Budapest to focus on the restaurant business. Italian soccer had disappointed me, then my wife and a friend convinced me to give the sporting director of Honved a call. I had never begged anyone in my life, believe me. Almost 15 years have passed and I’m still here. I’ve been coaching the national team since 2018. This country saved me.”
Rossi, let’s start here. In what sense did it save you?
“It gave me the chance to work, Italy didn’t. Maybe it was my own fault: I never knew how to sell myself. I had an absurd season with Cavese, the fans pressured the president to fire me. From then on, I had a nightmare year and a half.”
They asked you for money to coach. How many times did that happen?
“Once to coach a Serie C team in Tuscany, another time in Basilicata.”
And what did you say?
“That I don’t coach as a hobby. As a player, I never earned crazy amounts of money. At Sampdoria, I drove a Lancia. I didn’t squander my money, but from January 2011 to June 2012, it was tough. I went through a difficult period where I thought about quitting to become an accountant. My brother had an office in Veneto, I would have had to attend a course in Turin, live with my mother, and start a new life at almost fifty.”
How did the trip to Hungary come about?
“Thanks to a friend. He has three clubs, so I thought I’d invest and make ends meet. I had sold my house in Brescia, but I missed soccer.”
Destiny. Your grandfather used to talk to you about Puskas.
“That’s life. At first, I didn’t earn much. In 2016-17, the year I won the championship with Honved Budapest, I was the lowest-paid coach in the league. Hungary gave me back my dignity. Today, I feel almost Hungarian.”
How are you getting on with the language?
“It’s tough. I can say a few phrases, but I speak English and Spanish with the players. I played for Club America in Mexico, so I know the language. The coach was Marcelo Bielsa. His office was full of videotapes, notes, and papers. He spent all day there studying.”
What kind of player were you?
“A good defender. As a kid, I was fast and technical, then in one year I grew 18 centimeters and changed my playing style. I came from a humble family: my mom was a housewife, my dad had two jobs. He left at six in the morning and came home in the evening.”
Who was your best teammate?
“Many, but I would mention Mancini. That year, Sampdoria signed Platt, Gullit, Evani, and me, the worst of them all. Joking aside, Roberto would pick me up at the hotel to show me the city.”
Curiosity: why were you the best player in FIFA 97?
“I never understood it, maybe it was a bug. I always played Super Mario Bros.”
Do you have any regrets?
“None. I made up for it with interest by coaching Hungary. And I don’t miss Italy.”
Where were you when the federation called you?
“On the ring road in Naples. I didn’t think I’d last that long.”
Are you proud of the two European Championships?
“A miracle, if anything. I must have given dozens of players their debut. We do a huge amount of scouting. Everyone knows Szoboszlai and Kerkez, but the real success is being able to develop Varga, who was playing in the fourth division and working in a factory.”
What is your greatest satisfaction?
“Being the second most present coach. I would also add the Puskas Arena choir: one section sang ‘Marco’, the other ‘Rossi’.”
Have you ever received offers from Italy?
“Never. But I turned down the Premier League and the Bundesliga.”
What is your relationship with Viktor Orban like?
“Excellent. We meet from time to time; he’s a big fan. Sometimes he’s written to me to find out what the lineup would be or which players I would call up. But I have complete freedom in everything.”
You’ve been criticized for choosing to coach in Hungary.
“After the last European Championship, I received insults on social media. They threatened me and my family with all kinds of criticism. But I don’t care. I am grateful to Hungary because it saved my life. And I live well in Budapest: I live in the center, it’s safe. In other cities like London, Paris, or Milan, when night falls, you have to run away.”
