A new face at Stag Meadow this season is our goalkeeper Giordano Zabotti. Gio has become a firm favourite in his short time with us!
Where have you played previously and have you played under Matt before?
“I started playing at Westside FC before making a move to Basingstoke Town, I was with the U23’s there and this is where I met Matty, he was a huge part of the coaching staff who helped me progress to the first team. I then got a move to Crawley Town U23’s before stepping up to the first team for a year, which was a phenomenal experience. I then floated around non-league before playing a season back at Westside FC.”
You’ve had some time away from the game?
“This is my first-time playing football in 3 years! Unfortunately, I lost two very important people to me during a time where I was trying to find my way back to pro football. My Grandad and Nan were a huge part in my life, in general and football. Losing them both within a year of each other was tough mentally and I was not in a position to play. It is still hard to get on the pitch without them, however I play for them every time.”
What’s your ambition?
“For me this has changed over the last few months, originally it was just to come and enjoy football. Since playing here however I have fallen in love with the club and its history. The goal for me is to try and help get the club back to a place all the fans deserve. That means promotions are a must.”
Have you set any personal targets this season?
“My personal targets are mainly to try and get back to my former self, getting back to the level I know I am capable of and achieving great things with this football club.”
Who’s the best player you’ve played with in a team?
“Glenn Morris (Crawley Town), an unbelievable goalkeeper and mentor who taught me so much about the game. Extremely talented in every way on the pitch and is shown by how loved he is everywhere he goes. In all my years of playing football, I never learnt more than at that particular time, and the credit goes to him.”
A Pro keeper you try to model your game on?
“When I was younger, I based my game on Buffon, I used to watch his highlights every day after school. As I got older and understood that body type has a huge effect on what you can and can’t do, especially in my position, I started studying goalkeepers such as Roman Burki, Yan Sommer and more recently David Raya. I do have to mention Glenn Morris again as we had a very similar build and playing style while I was training with him.”
Best piece of footballing advice you’ve ever been given?
“Play your own game – we’re all different and have different strengths and weaknesses so being yourself is so important to the success you can get from football.”
What do you consider your biggest asset and something you’d like to be better at?
“I have always been a very good shot stopper; I do think my ability to keep a team in the game and make important saves at important times is my biggest asset. Better at…..my confidence, I feel this does hold me back, especially since the break I have had. Confidence has an effect on everything, and I feel when I am playing with confidence, I am a completely different goalkeeper.
