The new Olympique de Marseille fitness coach, Antonio Pintus has known Didier Deschamps for a long time and the two men have strong ties.
"Happiness can be as simple as a telephone call" said an advertisement a few years ago. It could be the slogan of Antonio Pintus, of OM’s two new staff recruits alongside Nicolas Dehon who we have already presented to you (read here). When Didier Deschamps called the Italian fitness coach, the latter did not hesitate. “I was very happy. I’m delighted to be working at a big club with Didier who I have known for a long time”.
The two men have rubbed shoulders since the 90’s and their careers have often brought them together. Fitness coach at Juventus under Trapattoni then Lippi, Antonio saw Didier Deschamps arrive at the “Old Lady” in 1995. In 1998, Chelsea recruited Pintus and the midfielder from Bayonne joined him a year later. In 2000, the paths separated (not for long) as Deschamps left London for Valencia. Pintus stayed another season with the Blues before returning to Italy with Udinese. When Didier Deschamps joined AS Monaco in 2001 as manager, he called (for the first time) Antonio Pintus to join him as fitness coach in the Principality. “The relationship that we have is professional as well as being human. We have strong links. The professional aspect is important. We have known each other for a long time, with just one look we understand each other”.
The joking side of the manager is something he enjoys as well. “In Monaco, I used to run or bike to the training ground at the Turbie. When I went on my bike, Didier used to put shaving foam in my shoes, remembers Antonio with a loud laugh. It’ difficult getting to the Commanderie by bike but if I manage to I’ll be keeping an eye on my shoes”.
Always smiling and speaking a perfect French, Antonio Pintus joined the OM staff in June for the start of pre-season. “It’s an honour as the team won the Ligue 1 and Coupe de la Ligue last season”. Born in Turin in 1962, he knows all about the fervor of Latin clubs. "I have already seen the passion that the club arouses. I was in a taxi and and the driver said to me there were two important things in Marseille: the Virgin at Notre Dame de la Garde, I’m Catholic so it is important for me as well, and Olympique de Marseille. If OM are doing well, then everyone is happy. It’s the same atmosphere that you can find in the centre of Italy, in Rome or Naples. The people are really behind their club, it is the warmth of the Mediterranean people and I know it very well”.
Perfectly welcomed by the members of the OM staff, he immediately got down to work. “We got on well straight away. The members of the staff like Guy Stephan, Nicolas Dehon or the medical staff are very professional. We have to get to know each other but it is me who has joined the team so it is up to me to adapt to OM’s style of work” he states humbly.
A big fan of extreme challenges (he made an expedition to the North Pole), Antonio Pintus likes to push himself to the edge. He often demands the same of his players, which has given him a reputation of being a tough coach. “It’s true, I like pushing my players as far as they can go. But was is the most important is to have players who feel concerned and are motivated. You have to believe in the methodology of the work. In 2004 with Monaco, we pushed the players hard and managed to reach the final of the Champions League. I hope to keep working in the same way, but not to be tough just for the sake of it, but to try and help the players to perform to the best of their abilities”.
