Carlo Kudicini has candidly admitted that errors during his career often had a significant impact on his performances during matches. In a recent discussion with Petr Cech, the ex-Chelsea keeper delved into the pressures of the game, the struggles of coming back from injuries, and how crucial psychological aspects have become in today’s football.
Kudicini featured on Cech's interview series Big Pete, where the former teammates predominantly explored the career paths and psychological nuances of being a goalkeeper.
Cech shared his own experiences of anxiety and stress before stepping onto the field. However, Kudicini offered a slightly different perspective.
He stated:
I’m not sure I ever felt anxiety as such.
The pressure before each match was certainly there, along with the need to perform well, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it anxiety.
The Italian admitted that periods of recovery from injuries were particularly challenging for him.
I felt pressure when returning from injuries.
You want to be back on the pitch as soon as possible because you know your career is at stake.
Kudicini also acknowledged that uncertainty would creep in after matches.
Sometimes after a game, I’d think: 'Well, what now?'
Perhaps this lack of clarity was what caused a bit of anxiety.
Error-strewn performances are inevitable in football, and this was another topic they explored.
With a smile, Kudicini quipped to Cech:
I should have more experience in that area than you, given I made more mistakes.
However, he later confessed that he found it hard to cope with such moments in the past.
A mistake could throw me off for the entire match.
I didn’t handle that too well.
Kudicini believes that a modern approach to athlete psychology would have greatly benefitted him during his playing days.
If I had played longer, I might have gone through some psychological training.
Now, it’s a crucial part of sport, and it could have really helped me back then.
He emphasised that football has evolved not only in terms of tactics and training but also in how the psychological state of players is regarded.
