We must combine the players’ great talent with heart and mentality
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
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Shakhtar assistant head coach Carlo Nicolini reflects on his duties in Arda Turan’s staff and the team’s transformation under the new manager
– Carlo, you’ve returned to Shakhtar. What is your role now and how do you help Arda Turan?
– My role is assistant head coach in this new chapter at Shakhtar. My responsibilities include helping Arda Turan integrate into the team and, thanks to my experience, overseeing the processes carried out by the fitness coaches.
– You worked with Arda when he was a Türkiye player and now he is a head coach of Shakhtar. How would you compare Arda the player with Arda the coach?
– Back when I was at Galatasaray, Arda was just a ball boy – already a very intelligent kid with a deep love for football. I followed his brilliant playing career closely and later had the honour of coaching him in the Türkiye national team. I’m proud and grateful to now be part of his coaching staff in this new chapter of my long and successful journey with Shakhtar. Arda is not only a highly skilled coach with a deep understanding of the game but also a remarkable personality. His leadership is built on clarity, honesty and direct communication – qualities I deeply value and which make our daily collaboration both constructive and inspiring. This opportunity means even more to me because Arda personally wanted me in his staff. He recognised a combination of technical knowledge, professionalism and human qualities in me that align with his own vision and allow us to support each other, both on and off the pitch. I see this trust as a great responsibility and a powerful motivation to give my all every single day. Arda is a very open person: he always speaks clearly and directly, and that’s one of the things I appreciate most. It creates space for genuine dialogue, honest feedback and continuous growth – essential things in a professional football environment. I embrace this new challenge with great enthusiasm and ambition. I’m fully committed to contributing to the team’s success and truly hope this is the beginning of a long journey together that is aimed at reaching the highest goals and building a great future for the club. It’s a real pleasure to work with him and the rest of the coaching staff, who are outstanding professionals and wonderful people. Some of them I already knew, and they share the same work philosophy as I do.
– What has Arda Turan brought to Shakhtar?
– Arda is in love with football. He was like that as a player and he remains the same as a coach. He’s intelligent, sharp, attentive to every detail and knows how to “push the right buttons” when communicating with players, staff and everyone around him. He’s a true leader. He was one on the pitch and now he is on the touchline as well. Arda is a natural winner.
– What are your main expectations for the team?
– I ask the players to keep following us with the same enthusiasm they’ve shown during these first 20 days because Arda and his staff can give Shakhtar a strong push forward – both for each individual and for the team as a whole. This is really important, but it requires full commitment from everyone.
– What are the goals and objectives for the players?
– To perform better than last season, to grow quickly both individually and as a team, to become more dynamic and, most importantly, to combine the great talent that all our players possess with intelligence, heart and mentality. That’s when big results will come.
– What kind of Shakhtar will the fans see this season? And what message would you like to share with them?
– The fans will see a deep love for these colours and total commitment from everyone involved, so we can dream again, just like we did in the past. I appeal to the fans to support us, stay with us and help bring Shakhtar back to the top.
– My role is assistant head coach in this new chapter at Shakhtar. My responsibilities include helping Arda Turan integrate into the team and, thanks to my experience, overseeing the processes carried out by the fitness coaches.
– You worked with Arda when he was a Türkiye player and now he is a head coach of Shakhtar. How would you compare Arda the player with Arda the coach?
– Back when I was at Galatasaray, Arda was just a ball boy – already a very intelligent kid with a deep love for football. I followed his brilliant playing career closely and later had the honour of coaching him in the Türkiye national team. I’m proud and grateful to now be part of his coaching staff in this new chapter of my long and successful journey with Shakhtar. Arda is not only a highly skilled coach with a deep understanding of the game but also a remarkable personality. His leadership is built on clarity, honesty and direct communication – qualities I deeply value and which make our daily collaboration both constructive and inspiring. This opportunity means even more to me because Arda personally wanted me in his staff. He recognised a combination of technical knowledge, professionalism and human qualities in me that align with his own vision and allow us to support each other, both on and off the pitch. I see this trust as a great responsibility and a powerful motivation to give my all every single day. Arda is a very open person: he always speaks clearly and directly, and that’s one of the things I appreciate most. It creates space for genuine dialogue, honest feedback and continuous growth – essential things in a professional football environment. I embrace this new challenge with great enthusiasm and ambition. I’m fully committed to contributing to the team’s success and truly hope this is the beginning of a long journey together that is aimed at reaching the highest goals and building a great future for the club. It’s a real pleasure to work with him and the rest of the coaching staff, who are outstanding professionals and wonderful people. Some of them I already knew, and they share the same work philosophy as I do.
– What has Arda Turan brought to Shakhtar?
– Arda is in love with football. He was like that as a player and he remains the same as a coach. He’s intelligent, sharp, attentive to every detail and knows how to “push the right buttons” when communicating with players, staff and everyone around him. He’s a true leader. He was one on the pitch and now he is on the touchline as well. Arda is a natural winner.
– What are your main expectations for the team?
– I ask the players to keep following us with the same enthusiasm they’ve shown during these first 20 days because Arda and his staff can give Shakhtar a strong push forward – both for each individual and for the team as a whole. This is really important, but it requires full commitment from everyone.
– What are the goals and objectives for the players?
– To perform better than last season, to grow quickly both individually and as a team, to become more dynamic and, most importantly, to combine the great talent that all our players possess with intelligence, heart and mentality. That’s when big results will come.
– What kind of Shakhtar will the fans see this season? And what message would you like to share with them?
– The fans will see a deep love for these colours and total commitment from everyone involved, so we can dream again, just like we did in the past. I appeal to the fans to support us, stay with us and help bring Shakhtar back to the top.