Listen to the article
Fabio Cannavaro praised Uzbekistan’s 4–1 friendly victory over Syria on Friday, saying the result reflected a team that is beginning to internalise his footballing philosophy — even if plenty of work remains ahead of the Asian Cup.
“We came into the game with the right attitude and in a good mood. All the players are working together as one team,” the Italian coach said after the match. “Before the game, I told them there is no such thing as a ‘friendly match’. Every game must be taken seriously. I asked them to play at a high tempo and with intensity.”
Cannavaro was careful not to let the scoreline obscure the difficulty of the opposition. He noted that Uzbekistan’s coaching staff had studied Syria’s recent 1–1 draw with Jordan before the game and prepared accordingly. “People may think the game was easy, but we made it easier for ourselves by starting well, running a lot and pressing correctly,” he said. “Syria are not an easy opponent.”
Time, space and the art of pressing
Much of Cannavaro’s post-match assessment focused on the tactical principles he is trying to instil. He described pressing as a discipline that demands precise timing rather than constant aggression, warning that poorly timed pressure could allow even weaker opponents to escape. “Football is a game of time and space,” he said. “When the opponent has the ball, we need to reduce the space and not give them time to think. When we have the ball, we need to create more space so that we have more time.” He added that his players were increasingly understanding when to step forward and commit to a press.
Training sessions, he said, are covering a range of areas — from building out from the back to set-piece routines — as the squad prepares for competitive fixtures.
No hierarchy in the squad
Cannavaro also addressed his decision to rotate personnel during the Syria match, framing it as a reflection of his broader squad management philosophy. “I want all the players to train at the same intensity and I treat everyone equally. I don’t have a concept of ‘starting players’ or ‘substitutes’,” he said.
He pointed to Uzbekistan’s earlier performance against Iran — one of Asia’s strongest sides — as further evidence of the qualities he wants to see from his group, suggesting that character and collective effort matter more to him than any individual result.
“We still have many things to improve, but step by step we are building a good team,” Cannavaro said.
Uzbekistan’s next test comes on 6 October, when the side travels to face South Korea. Cannavaro said the squad was in good condition ahead of the away fixture.