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Silvio Baldini has turned heads in Italy, as reports emerged of him making his Italy U21 side train in eye patches. As explained in La Gazzetta dello Sport, this isn’t a new practice for Baldini’s teams, with the primary goal of recovering from physical fatigue through mental strength.
With the Italian youngsters, Baldini wants to convey his unconventional philosophy, which has previously brought results at both Palermo and Pescara.
Sessions are 20 minutes maximum and are divided into three phases. The first involves closing the dominant eye, the one connected to the most used hand or leg. The second covers the other eye, while the third leaves the eye patch uncovered. This practice is also apparently used in boxing.
“I want to encourage the boys to look at the field not just with their eyes, but with their minds and bodies,” Baldini said, when speaking of his methods at the first training camp in September.
The well-travelled manager also has other intriguing ideas, including double rooms at hotels determined by each position. He also enforces a strict phone policy. Mobiles aren’t allowed in the locker room: they stay in their room or in a basket, turned off, until the last training session.
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