Welcome the little maestro

Welcome the little maestro

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has pulled off a real masterstroke by acquiring Emanuele Giaccherini from Juventus. Despite often being something of a periphery figure as the ‘Old Lady’ of Italian football have swept to successive Scudettos, the 28-year-old schemer genuinely qualifies as a terrific little player.

As a regular follower of Italian football, I’ve been able to admire Giacccherini’s progress since arriving from the provincial Cesena a couple of years ago. It hasn’t always been easy for him, with Juve’s esteemed coach Antonio Conte often electing on a more supportive role from the bench for the creative little midfield player. Either that or allowing him to plug the gaps when big names like Marchisio or Vidal were unexpectedly ruled out of the equation, when by rights he should really have been one of the first names on his team-sheet. National coach Cesare Prandelli would definitely share that view as the diminutive warrior has proved a regular favourite of his during his three-year spell in charge.

Giaccherini starred for Italy on their way to the final of the European Championship last year – albeit in an unfamiliar left-back role. But that wouldn’t phase him at all and he was as committed
and impressive as ever. More recently the willing little runner was preferred to operate directly on the shoulder of the enigmatic Mario Balotelli as the Italians rather stuttered their way into the last four of the Confederations Cup before eventually succumbing to a fortunate Spain in a penalty shoot-out. Such is his apparent versatility. But with a lovely first touch and an admirable capacity of switching either left or right in an instant, plus an added bonus of being able to finish, on occasions explosively with either foot, Giaccherini is more than capable of providing a purring engine for the Black Cats this season.

Di Canio should, however, reap greatest dividends if employing him in his favoured role, chasing wide down the left and cutting dangerously inside. His delivery is often decisive, and while by no means a prolific goalscorer – an average return of one in five games at Cesena was promptly doubled during his frustratingly stop-start career in Turin – Giaccherini can undoubtedly offer Sunderland plenty, both going forward and working back.

In fairness, Conte didn’t exactly want to lose the player as he readies his squad for a third successive title charge. Rumours already persist of him perhaps turning to ex-West Ham playmaker Alessandro Diamanti from Bologna, with a fee of around £10m being mentioned. Although something of a maverick figure, Diamanti is another extremely talented, although markedly different individual. He’s some two years older and probably a couple of million pounds more expensive than Giaccherini, who is an absolute steal for the Wearsiders if a reported £8m is correct. There’s no doubting who’s getting the better deal, for while a Diamanti in the mood may creatively offer more, especially from set-pieces, Giaccherini really is the complete package.

Juve’s loss is therefore surely Sunderland’s fortunate gain, and their reward to the player of hopefully a regular starting place should allow a talent that has rather bubbled under the surface in his homeland for the past couple of seasons, despite his club’s ongoing success, to finally begin to scale the heights that his own ability and application surely demands. And if that’s the case then both player and manager alike, and more importantly Sunderland FC, will be the ones with plenty of cause to celebrate.