Italy, Gennaro Gattuso is already charged up

“This is a dream come true. It will not be an easy task, but nothing in life is easy. There is little to say, you have to work. It has been said for years that we do not have footballers: I believe that we just need to get inside their heads to make them perform at their best. My goal and that of the staff will be to bring Italy back to the World Cup, which is fundamental for us.”

“What does the national team need? Enthusiasm, to compact ourselves and to stay united in times of difficulty. My goal is to bring joy, to create a family. Then the forms, the tactics come later. Now we have to bring back that mentality that has distinguished us over the years. I think we have a strong team. A team, not individuals. I am convinced that the group has values that can achieve the goal. When they called me, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. There is work to be done but we have the qualities to achieve the goal.”

“The figure of 68 percent foreigners in our league is significant. We have very good results with the youth, then they get lost. We need to give more opportunities for growth, I think that’s the change. Being twice out of the World Cup is not easy: that’s why we need to regain enthusiasm. Fear must not exist. No controversy with La Russa, I hope to change his mind. In 2005 it was not easy.”

“Everyone thinks of a Gattuso with heart and grit. I think my teams played well, I changed a lot of vision. I think a Gattuso on the field today does not do well at a tactical level. You need heart and grit, I like to talk about soccer and I am very clear about my ideas. The game has changed and you have to know how to get into the players’ heads. The examples I have had in the past are hard to take back because today they are much more professional, but they struggle more with teamwork. On a professional level I can assure you that they are much better prepared.”

“I will have Bonucci on my staff, then Prandelli, Zambrotta and Perrotta will give us a hand with the youngsters. For me it is an honor, not a problem. Results? With Napoli and Milan I missed the Champions by one point. With Split we played for the championship on the last day with a team full of young people, with Dinamo who won for 20 years and sold players for 20 million. Only one team wins in competitions, but you have to see the work of the others, whether the team has grown. I think I have done something good over the years.”

“Football is my life. I hope not to stress my colleagues. I want to talk to the players, see the players’ games where the Italians are, and that will be the life. Trains, planes and you try to make the best choices. Lippi? I heard him and I can’t say what we said. I hope to create that group again and be able to do what he did with us.”

“We have to be good at getting in the right way in the heads of the players. We don’t have to think that they have to change, but we have to go to them. If we think about how our parents educated us, we cannot stay there. Hearing my parents get excited at the age they are was a moment of joy. Then so many other messages but to hear Dad and Mom get excited was great.”

The press conference had been opened by FIGC president Gabriele Gravina: “The choice of Gattuso was shared and I thank Buffon. His was a decisive role for a project that we will soon present. It was a shared choice for the man, capable of motivating, and as a technician. We are convinced of Rino’s qualities as a coach. He knows the media pressure having experienced hot environments like Napoli and Milan. We have chosen a coach who is not afraid to take responsibility and who has always put the group before everything.”

“As a Federation we will support him to build an ambitious group. We will start a Prandelli project, supported by Perrotta and Zambrotta who will drop into the reality of our soccer the idea of developing the technical capacity of our youth teams. A support for the youth sector with great benefits. This will be an additional project that will travel autonomously and parallel to the CT project. Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli will collaborate with Gattuso. We have turned to those who know the value of the Azzurri jersey.”

“The separation with Spalletti is a wound – continued Gravina. When you interrupt a wonderful relationship it hurts. He was an extraordinary person. We had to give a concrete answer quickly and together with Rino we had the opportunity to confront each other. The harmony was perfect in charting a course that we hope will provide a turning point to take Italy to the World Cup.”

On the choice of Gattuso as ct closes the question Gianluigi Buffon: “Enrique’s interview at the time of Valencia certifies what I think. Every time we met Rino’s teams, I speak as a player, the feeling was that we were playing against a complicated team. On the field you notice it immediately if there is a capable hand behind it. Rino has that nature and no one will ever take it away, but he is also a coach with experience all over Europe who felt the desire to evolve and improve. When we put a label, we don’t want to go deep, while those who work in soccer have to make different reasoning.”