He discovered Salah and Alisson, but now lives a heartbreaking reality

After a discreet career in football with a final victory in Serie B with Perugia in 74-75 as his greatest achievement, Walter Sabatini hung up his boots, prepared himself and ended up succeeding in football just when he could no longer play it at the highest level.

Retired in Italian infrafootball (beyond Serie C) in 1984, Walter Sabatini took two years off before returning to the green to work in different football schools of notable Italian teams. There, he realised his worth in spotting talent. Marco Di Vaio and Alessandro Nesta are listed as his goals during his time at the Lazio academy. Before long, he moved into sporting management and at Perugia, in his second experience after Arezzo, he discovered a young Gennaro Gatusso, later a calcio legend and now coach of Valencia.

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After a disqualification for breaking the rules on the registration of non-EU players, his three best projects arrived: Lazio, Palermo and Roma. The names are the best way to explain his passage. At Lazio he brought Kolarov and Lichtsteiner. At Palermo he surrounded Cavani with Pastore, Abel Hernandez, Sirigu, Glik and Kjaer. After the Salto native's departure to Napoli, he brought in a new talent, Ilicic.

After Palermo came Roma. Back on the other side of the Olimpico, it was adding success after success with players like Benatia, Lamela, Pjanic, Paredes, Nainggolan, Dzeko, Marquinhos, Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah. Many of them left Rome, filling their coffers to succeed in Turin, Paris or Liverpool. 

<br/><strong>Walter Sabatini discovered very talented players </strong>

Asked about his football Sundays on the sofa, he bursts out. "Think of me. If you only knew how it pisses me off. I'm very angry. I don't like being outside. I don't fit into the role of spectator. I'm not capable," he says. From his position as a spectator, he praises his 'little brother' Spaletti as the architect of this Napoli. The southern team, he says, makes him envious. One name in particular, that of Khvicha Kvaratshelia. The Georgian, he says, is one of those talents he would have liked to have signed up. "I've never known envy until I discovered this guy. Giuntoli has been a phenomenon, which should be applauded, because he is a work of art. The management of the market is a lesson for everyone. De Laurentiis should also be praised," he adds.