SPAL President Joe Tacopina has praised current SPAL and former Inter, Roma, and Cagliari midfielder Radja Nainggolan for his qualities both on and off the pitch.

Speaking to The Italian Football Podcast, Tacopina gave his thoughts on the 34-year-old, who joined the Emilio-Romagna club during the January transfer window.

Nainggolan returned to Italian football in January, having been at Royal Antwerp in Belgium for the past season and a half.

The Belgian had previously established a reputation as one of the Italian top flight’s best midfielders with his performances at Cagliari, Roma, and Inter.

As far as SPAL President Tacopina is concerned, Nainggolan is still a player of a very high level.

Tacopina has been greatly impressed by what he has seen since the 34-year-old joined SPAL, whilst he has also been impressed by the player’s personality off of the pitch as well.

“It’s been unbelievable,” the American powerhouse attorney said of having Nainggolan in the squad.

“Lot of people said there’s the good Radja and the bad Radja and that sometimes he goes off the reservation and he could be a wild man and all this stuff, despite being a world class player But he’s been exemplary.”

“He has been a leader on the pitch,” he said of the experienced midfielder, “talking to all the players.”

“His skillset is obviously unique. It’s like watching two different types of athletes when you compare him to anyone else in the Serie B and I don’t want to take away anything from anyone in the Serie B.”

Tacopina praised Nainggolan, stating that “He is a world class player even at this age because he’s in phenomenal physical shape still. He is a beast.”

“When he kicks a ball it’s like a hockey puck going in 102 miles per hour. You just feel his presence on the pitch.”

“And in the locker room he’s always there with the guys,” the SPAL President said of Nainggolan.

“He is always speaking with the young players during training and also afterwards goes out with them for dinner. It’s nice to see.”

“One example of Radja’s commitment to SPAL is after Daniele left people speculated that he was going to leave,” Tacopina noted, referring to former SPAL coach Daniele De Rossi.

“Because him and Daniele are very close, but everyone said he was going to leave but he got very angry and posted about it on social media calling them idiots.”

“He is a special player and person,” Tacopina said of the midfielder.