West Ham flop thanks Coach for career turnaround. Former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca has thanked Gian Piero Gasperini for helping to get his career back on track with Atalanta.
Scamacca joined the Hammers from Sassuolo for a reported £30.5m fee back in July 2022 but would last just one season at the London Stadium. The striker scored eight goals in 27 appearances across all competitions to help West Ham win the Europa Conference League, but only netted three times in 16 Premier League outings, struggling to adjust to English football.
Atalanta swooped for the Italy international last August, with Scamacca scoring 12 goals in 28 Serie A appearances and 19 in 43 matches across all competitions last season in an excellent upturn in form. Only Romelu Lukaku (7) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10) scored more goals than Scamacca (6) during this season’s Europa League, with the striker’s influence in the final third key as Atalanta went all the way to lift the trophy.
Gasperini has played a key role in Scamacca’s resurgence.
It’s been a welcome return to form for Scamacca, who has been rewarded with a place in Italy’s provisional squad for this summer’s European Championships.
The 25-year-old has revealed it was Gasperini’s influence that helped him get back on track and, ultimately, become part of an Italy side that will look to defend their Euros title in Germany this summer.
“The coach hammered me day after day, told me how to move on the pitch, but also I started to get into good physical shape and so could give him what he wanted,” Scamacca said (via Football Italia).
“One of my objectives was to get into the Euros, now we need to defend the title and honour the jersey.”
Scamacca’s return to the international fold will come as a relief after he was left out of the Azzurri’s squad for friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador in March.
Italy boss Luciano Spalletti was understood to be furious at the striker for staying up late playing PlayStation the night before a vital Euro 2024 qualifying match against Ukraine.
Spalletti was full of praise for Gasperini’s ability to get Scammaca back on the straight and narrow.
“The credit goes to Gasperini who coaches him, if in some way I urged him to have a reaction I’m happy, this is my aim. Technology is important but must be contextualized,” Spalletti said earlier in May (via Football Italia).
“We need to stay connected to each other, even in downtime. It’s the details that always make the difference. Those 10 days where we’ll be together before leaving will be the most important.”
