Latest news with #Azzurri
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Gennaro Gattuso seeks ‘family' ethos in bid to avoid World Cup unthinkable
Gennaro Gattuso said all the things he was expected to say at his first appearance as Italy manager. He talked about the need to restore enthusiasm to an Azzurri side whose morale has been dented by recent setbacks, as well as that sense of shared purpose that bonded him to teammates in the World Cup-winning side of 2006. The word he kept coming back to was 'family', insisting: 'That's the most important thing, more than tactics or formations.' His is not a vision of paternalistic authority but of a group close enough to speak hard truths to each other's faces. 'In moments of difficulty, when you feel alone and don't hear the voice of your teammate, those are the 90 minutes that feel never-ending,' said Gattuso. 'This is what we need to change. We need to help each other, we need to say those things that maybe you don't want to hear, because that's the only way you grow.' They will have no shortage of material. Italy's men's team are at an all-time low. Having failed to qualify for consecutive World Cups, their attempts to reach next summer's tournament are in jeopardy after a 3-0 thrashing by Norway in their opening game of Group I. That result led the Italian football federation (FIGC) to sack Luciano Spalletti as manager, though he persuaded them to allow him one more game. The idea was to leave on a more positive note, and perhaps that was achieved in a 2-0 win over Moldova, though the pre-game conference at which he in effect confirmed his own termination made for an awkward occasion. How had it come to this? Spalletti's Italy were a disappointment at the Euros last summer, putting up a feeble defence of their 2021 triumph as they scraped out of their group with a 98th-minute equaliser against Croatia before losing meekly to Switzerland. The manager had been dealt a tough hand, replacing Roberto Mancini midway through qualifying. It was easy to argue he deserved time to implement his vision after steering Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years. But what was the point in continuing, if the federation's faith in him was always this fragile? Gattuso's appointment raises more questions about their approach. The FIGC's president, Gabriele Gravina, confirmed on Thursday that they had approached Claudio Ranieri first. That would have been a popular choice – a man with a reputation for rescuing teams in times of emergency, fresh from one last miracle with his boyhood team, Roma. But Ranieri already has a new job, moving upstairs as a senior adviser for the Giallorossi. As he explained it this week: 'I respect the national team, but I belong to Roma.' Gravina sought to portray it not as a rejection but merely a respectful conversation with the club's ownership. Whatever the truths of that story, it is a hard pivot from Ranieri – who made Leicester champions and has written countless brilliant chapters in his almost 40 years of management – to Gattuso, who has not yet left such a mark on any of the nine clubs he has led since 2013. There are always different ways to tell a story. Is Gattuso, 47, a man who has repeatedly fallen short of his clubs' objectives – failing to reach the Champions League with Milan and Napoli, finishing third in Croatia with Hajduk Split and not even lasting a full season with Valencia and Marseille in between? Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Or is he, as his former Italy teammate Gigi Buffon – head of delegation for the Azzurri at Euro 2024 and seemingly moving into a more prominent role for the federation – argued on Thursday, a person who has shown courage to go to different countries and take on different challenges, continuing to grow and to evolve? Defending his own work, Gattuso pointed out his Milan and Napoli sides each missed the top four by one point, and that his Hajduk team this season were in with a shot at their first league title in 19 years going into the final weekend. All of which can be well and true, but in his new job there will be no grey area: only success or failure. For Italy to miss a third consecutive World Cup ought to be unthinkable, but the lopsided nature of their defeat by Norway, who have played two more games and won both, means even a perfect record from here on may only land them back into the playoffs from which they have failed to progress in each of the past two cycles. If the goal were only to make Italy a family again, Gattuso would have every chance of success. His presence at the podium alongside Buffon felt like a homecoming, albeit an understated one, the heroes of 2006 given their opportunity to lead. Journalists prefaced questions not with deferential honorifics but instead a familiar 'ciao Rino'. In the end, though, the requirements of this job remain the same as they always were. Gattuso needs to win, starting with his first game, at home to Estonia in September. This family is sick of losing. He will hear hard truths soon enough, and from more people than he may care to, if he cannot make it stop.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gennaro Gattuso seeks ‘family' ethos in bid to avoid World Cup unthinkable
Gennaro Gattuso said all the things he was expected to say at his first appearance as Italy manager. He talked about the need to restore enthusiasm to an Azzurri side whose morale has been dented by recent setbacks, as well as that sense of shared purpose that bonded him to teammates in the World Cup-winning side of 2006. The word he kept coming back to was 'family', insisting: 'That's the most important thing, more than tactics or formations.' His is not a vision of paternalistic authority but of a group close enough to speak hard truths to each other's faces. Advertisement Related: 'A symbol of Italian football': Azzurri appoint Gennaro Gattuso as head coach 'In moments of difficulty, when you feel alone and don't hear the voice of your teammate, those are the 90 minutes that feel never-ending,' said Gattuso. 'This is what we need to change. We need to help each other, we need to say those things that maybe you don't want to hear, because that's the only way you grow.' They will have no shortage of material. Italy's men's team are at an all-time low. Having failed to qualify for consecutive World Cups, their attempts to reach next summer's tournament are in jeopardy after a 3-0 thrashing by Norway in their opening game of Group I. That result led the Italian football federation (FIGC) to sack Luciano Spalletti as manager, though he persuaded them to allow him one more game. The idea was to leave on a more positive note, and perhaps that was achieved in a 2-0 win over Moldova, though the pre-game conference at which he in effect confirmed his own termination made for an awkward occasion. Advertisement How had it come to this? Spalletti's Italy were a disappointment at the Euros last summer, putting up a feeble defence of their 2021 triumph as they scraped out of their group with a 98th-minute equaliser against Croatia before losing meekly to Switzerland. The manager had been dealt a tough hand, replacing Roberto Mancini midway through qualifying. It was easy to argue he deserved time to implement his vision after steering Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years. But what was the point in continuing, if the federation's faith in him was always this fragile? Gattuso's appointment raises more questions about their approach. The FIGC's president, Gabriele Gravina, confirmed on Thursday that they had approached Claudio Ranieri first. That would have been a popular choice – a man with a reputation for rescuing teams in times of emergency, fresh from one last miracle with his boyhood team, Roma. But Ranieri already has a new job, moving upstairs as a senior adviser for the Giallorossi. As he explained it this week: 'I respect the national team, but I belong to Roma.' Gravina sought to portray it not as a rejection but merely a respectful conversation with the club's ownership. Advertisement Whatever the truths of that story, it is a hard pivot from Ranieri – who made Leicester champions and has written countless brilliant chapters in his almost 40 years of management – to Gattuso, who has not yet left such a mark on any of the nine clubs he has led since 2013. There are always different ways to tell a story. Is Gattuso, 47, a man who has repeatedly fallen short of his clubs' objectives – failing to reach the Champions League with Milan and Napoli, finishing third in Croatia with Hajduk Split and not even lasting a full season with Valencia and Marseille in between? Or is he, as his former Italy teammate Gigi Buffon – head of delegation for the Azzurri at Euro 2024 and seemingly moving into a more prominent role for the federation – argued on Thursday, a person who has shown courage to go to different countries and take on different challenges, continuing to grow and to evolve? Defending his own work, Gattuso pointed out his Milan and Napoli sides each missed the top four by one point, and that his Hajduk team this season were in with a shot at their first league title in 19 years going into the final weekend. Advertisement All of which can be well and true, but in his new job there will be no grey area: only success or failure. For Italy to miss a third consecutive World Cup ought to be unthinkable, but the lopsided nature of their defeat by Norway, who have played two more games and won both, means even a perfect record from here on may only land them back into the playoffs from which they have failed to progress in each of the past two cycles. If the goal were only to make Italy a family again, Gattuso would have every chance of success. His presence at the podium alongside Buffon felt like a homecoming, albeit an understated one, the heroes of 2006 given their opportunity to lead. Journalists prefaced questions not with deferential honorifics but instead a familiar 'ciao Rino'. In the end, though, the requirements of this job remain the same as they always were. Gattuso needs to win, starting with his first game, at home to Estonia in September. This family is sick of losing. He will hear hard truths soon enough, and from more people than he may care to, if he cannot make it stop.
Kuwait Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Gattuso convinced Italy can qualify for World Cup
ROME: Gennaro Gattuso said Thursday he is convinced Italy can qualify for the World Cup as he begins his reign as Azzurri coach following the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti. Italy are at risk of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup after a troubled start to their qualifying campaign which has left them nine points behind Group I leaders Norway and cost Spalletti his job. Asked whether he had more hope or conviction that Italy could reach next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Gattuso said: 'conviction'. 'I believe that we have good players available to us. We have four or five who are among the top 10 in the world in their position,' added Gattuso. 'We have a good team, but I do mean team, I'm not thinking about individuals. I'm convinced that the team has quality and I'm convinced that we can achieve our goal.' Gattuso has a tough job on his hands with only top spot in the group giving automatic qualification to the World Cup, even with Italy having played two fewer games than Norway. As well as the significant points gap Italy have a goal difference which is 12 goals worse than Norway, who hammered Italy 3-0 earlier in June. That leaves Italy with the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, as their only realistic shot at qualification. 'We need to bring back the enthusiasm and not think negatively. My goal is to make sure that the players that come to (Italy's training center) Coverciano do so with great enthusiasm, and to create a family,' said Gattuso. 'After formations, technique and tactics the priority is to recreate that mentality that in the past has made us stand out.' Gattuso, a World Cup winner in 2006, was not the Italian Football Federation's first choice to replace Spalletti. Claudio Ranieri eventually turned down an appeal to come out of retirement, for a second time, to save his country's footballing fortunes. But Italy icon Gianluigi Buffon, now head of the national team delegation, said he believes Gattuso is capable of defying those who doubt his capabilities after an up-and-down coaching career. Gattuso, 47, was recently sacked by Hadjuk Split but has also managed AC Milan and Napoli, winning the Italian Cup with the latter club five years ago. 'I had a long playing career and every time I faced once of Rino's teams with Juventus they gave us a hard time, you had the idea that his teams had a precise identity, and that there was a lot of work and thought behind them,' said Buffon. 'It's very simple, when you're on the pitch you can tell straight away if behind the other team there is a good coach or not. And I every time I faced his Milan or Napoli team I could tell that was the case.' Gattuso will be in the dugout for the first time in September when Italy host Estonia in Bergamo before travelling to Hungary to take on Zionist entity. — AFP
Egypt Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Egypt Today
New coach Gattuso vows to restore enthusiasm to battered Italy
New Italy men's national team coach Gennaro Gattuso during the press conference REUTERS/Remo Casilli (Reuters) - Italy's new coach Gennaro Gattuso on Thursday pledged to restore enthusiasm and create "a family" at the battered national team, aiming to secure qualification for the next World Cup after the Azzurri missed out twice in a row. Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked this month following a 3-0 defeat by Norway in a World Cup qualifier. He officially departed after overseeing his final match, a 2-0 victory against Moldova. "It's a dream come true, and I certainly hope to be up to the task. I know the job won't be easy, but nothing in life is easy," said Gattuso, who recently left Croatian club Hajduk Split after a third-placed finish in the country's top flight. Nicknamed 'Ringhio' (Growler) for his tenacious attitude on the pitch, the 47-year-old earned 73 caps for the Italian national team and was a key member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad. Fans hope his strong character can help with the task of taking the four-time world champions to next year's World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Italy, third in World Cup qualifying Group I, will host Estonia on September 5 before taking on Israel three days later. "My goal is that whoever comes to the training ground comes with great enthusiasm and to create a family," said Gattuso, who according to a source at the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) was given a one-year contract. Gattuso spent the bulk of his playing career at AC Milan, where he won two Champions League and two Serie A titles, before returning to coach the club from 2017 to 2019. As a manager he won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020. "The primary aim is to create a sense of belonging" to the Azzurri team, Gattuso told reporters during his presentation to the press at a luxury hotel in central Rome. The new coach said he believed players felt the pressure of having missed out on qualification for two World Cups in a row and that was weighing on the team's performance. "We must be good at reacting, only those who react and give it all can get out of this situation," he said.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Gennaro Gattuso Convinced Italy Can Reach FIFA World Cup 2026
Gennaro Gattuso said on Thursday he is convinced Italy can qualify for the World Cup as he begins his reign as Azzurri coach following the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti. Italy are at risk of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup after a troubled start to their qualifying campaign which has left them nine points behind Group I leaders Norway and cost Spalletti his job. Asked whether he had more hope or conviction that Italy could reach next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Gattuso said: "conviction". "I believe that we have good players available to us. We have four or five who are among the top 10 in the world in their position," added Gattuso. "We have a good team, but I do mean team, I'm not thinking about individuals. I'm convinced that the team has quality and I'm convinced that we can achieve our goal." Gattuso has a tough job on his hands with only top spot in the group giving automatic qualification to the World Cup, even with Italy having played two fewer games than Norway. As well as the significant points gap Italy have a goal difference which is 12 goals worse than Norway, who hammered Italy 3-0 earlier in June. That leaves Italy with the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, as their only realistic shot at qualification. "We need to bring back the enthusiasm and not think negatively. My goal is to make sure that the players that come to (Italy's training centre) Coverciano do so with great enthusiasm, and to create a family," said Gattuso. "After formations, technique and tactics the priority is to recreate that mentality that in the past has made us stand out." Gattuso, a World Cup winner in 2006, was not the Italian Football Federation's first choice to replace Spalletti. Claudio Ranieri eventually turned down an appeal to come out of retirement, for a second time, to save his country's footballing fortunes. But Italy icon Gianluigi Buffon, now head of the national team delegation, said he believes Gattuso is capable of defying those who doubt his capabilities after an up-and-down coaching career. Gattuso, 47, was recently sacked by Hadjuk Split but has also managed AC Milan and Napoli, winning the Italian Cup with the latter club five years ago. "I had a long playing career and every time I faced once of Rino's teams with Juventus they gave us a hard time, you had the idea that his teams had a precise identity, and that there was a lot of work and thought behind them," said Buffon. "It's very simple, when you're on the pitch you can tell straight away if behind the other team there is a good coach or not. And I every time I faced his Milan or Napoli team I could tell that was the case." Gattuso will be in the dugout for the first time in September when Italy host Estonia in Bergamo before travelling to Hungary to take on Israel.
