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New York Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Gattuso is loved in Italy as a World Cup winner and for being who he is. Will that be enough?
Claudio Ranieri stepped out for the press conference in Rome. As he pulled back a chair and the cameras flashed, a mischievous smile appeared on his face. For once, Ranieri was not being unveiled as a new coach. Instead, he was the one doing the unveiling. Beside him was Gian Piero Gasperini, his successor at Roma. Ranieri leaned into the microphone like a stand-up comedian. He had a joke to crack. Advertisement 'Hello everyone,' he said. 'I think this is the first time you get to see two coaches (at one press conference). But don't be confused, eh. I still have a contract until June 30, so…' The gag went down well. Everybody laughed. But it fell flat elsewhere in the city — the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was still getting over Ranieri's decision to turn down their offer to take over the national team. Its president, Gabriele Gravina, thought he had an agreement on a job-share whereby Ranieri would combine his forthcoming executive role at Roma with guiding Italy along the road to the World Cup next summer. However, Ranieri had second thoughts about the idea. The 73-year-old only returned to the touchline in November, six months after leaving what he had said would be his last job at Cagliari, because his hometown club were in such dire straits. If he had wished to continue coaching, rather than retreat back into (semi) retirement, he would have stayed on as Roma's manager. This was a double blow for the FIGC in their search for a replacement for Luciano Spalletti, who Gravina fired a couple of weeks ago following a 3-0 defeat away to Norway in Italy's opening World Cup qualifier. First of all, Ranieri's reputation hasn't been this high since he won the 2015-16 Premier League with 5,000-1 outsiders Leicester City. Over the past nine months, he has resembled a nonno, the grandfather figure of the Italian game, with a timeless winning recipe. Only Hansi Flick's Barcelona picked up more points than Roma in the second half of last season across Europe's top five leagues. Second, Ranieri, in his new position as adviser to Roma's owners, The Friedkin Group, was announcing Gasperini — someone who would have been another outstanding candidate to lead the national team. For context, the managerial carousel started at warp-speed this summer and left the FIGC with whiplash. Advertisement The initial uncertainty over Antonio Conte's future at new champions Napoli caused Milan to accelerate their pursuit of Massimiliano Allegri, who would have figured as another contender for the Italy gig had he been available. Brazil had spent more than a year courting Carlo Ancelotti to manage their national team, and finally got their man. Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal then threw more money at Inter's Simone Inzaghi than the FIGC could ever muster. Gravina also didn't have a job to offer until after that obliteration in Oslo on June 6. Which raised the question: shouldn't he have dismissed Spalletti already, after defending champions Italy's exit from the European Championship against Switzerland in the round of 16 last summer? It would have been premature to act then. Spalletti had Gravina's gratitude for leaving his post-Napoli sabbatical to take over Italy in difficult circumstances following Roberto Mancini's resignation to manage Saudi's national team, and the Euros came less than a year later. Spalletti deserved more time. With hindsight, it is easy to say that the interim was a waste of that time. So the options available to Gravina were limited. He leaned on Gianluigi Buffon, the country's most capped player, who became a member of his executive team after retiring in 2023, to help with the process of identifying Italy's next coach. Buffon had initially been made head of the delegation when he hung up the gloves — a counsellor and motivator the players could turn to for wisdom. Reports abounded late last summer that he considered his position after the Euros. Instead, Buffon broadened his remit. Since completing a course in the role, he is closer to a sporting director now. Drama never seems to be far away. One newspaper, La Sicilia, claimed Buffon almost quit when the return of Mancini, who only lasted 14 months in Saudi, was apparently put on the table. Advertisement Buffon skilfully handled questions about it at another press conference in Rome this week. 'As is the case every year, my contract expires on June 30, so the issue of resigning has never arisen.' Good save, Gigi. Next to Buffon and Gravina at the Parco dei Principi hotel sat the national team's new manager. He was not a foreigner, though the paucity of choice had sparked debate in Italy about whether it was time to appeal to someone like Jose Mourinho. In the end, the FIGC settled on one of the heroes of 2006, when Italy last won the World Cup: Gennaro Gattuso. 'This is a dream come true,' Gattuso said. 'I hope I am up to the task.' So does the rest of Italy. Missing out on qualification for a third consecutive World Cup doesn't bear thinking about. The explanations Buffon and Gravina offered for the hire came back to one intangible essential: vibes. They talked about passion, fire in the belly, and knowing what it means to represent your country. 'No one can ever take away Rino's fighting spirit and determination,' Buffon said. Gravina admired his self-'sacrifice' and the way he dealt with media scrutiny while coach of Milan and later Napoli. On the one hand, it is entirely understandable why the FIGC has gone in this direction. Italy were insipid against the Swiss in that Euros defeat this time last year. There was no soul in their recent performance in Norway either, when they found themselves three goals down at half-time. Gattuso will surely shock them back to life. And yet he was at pains to present himself as more than just a hype man. 'Everyone thinks of Gattuso as all heart and grit, but today I wouldn't put (that) Gattuso in my team, because of the way I want to play,' he said. At the same time, the 47-year-old spoke repeatedly about team spirit, identity, and the need for Italian players to reconnect with their national team. Advertisement His desire to emulate Marcello Lippi was less about also winning the World Cup and more about bonding a group of players and fostering the togetherness — the sense of belonging — which underpinned that 2006 team. Some members of it — Gianluca Zambrotta and Simone Perrotta — will be on his coaching staff, along with Leonardo Bonucci, one of the leaders of the Mancini-led Euro 2020-winning side. Cesare Prandelli, Italy coach from 2010-14, is also set to return. He will coordinate the development of Italy's next generation, focusing on the age groups below the senior side and acting in support of the youth-team coaches, as Arrigo Sacchi did a decade ago. The new setup has not won the approval that Spalletti's or Conte's appointments received in the past. Both were viewed for what they are: world-class coaches. Gattuso, by comparison, can't seem to stay in a job for more than two years, and the Coppa Italia he won with Napoli in an empty Stadio Olimpico during the pandemic was quickly eclipsed by the aforementioned managers winning the title with that club. He has bounced around posts in Switzerland, Greece, Spain, France and Croatia, also managed Palermo and Pisa (twice) and had talks with Tottenham Hotspur. Gravina's praise for his temperament amid the media glare also left one with the impression that the FIGC president can't be on social media, where the reels of Gattuso's press conference shenanigans have guaranteed virality. His 'sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe s**t' fulmination while at OFC Crete accurately describes Italy's past 15 years on the international stage. Good at the Euros (let's try to forget about last summer). Bad at making World Cups. Gattuso's most recent job saw him rescind his contract with Hajduk Split this month after 'only' a third-place finish, and Gravina particularly appreciated his promotion of academy players. 'This year, I played with (players born in) 2005, 2006 and 2007,' Gattuso said. Advertisement What everyone else appreciated about his season in Croatia were the memes. Gattuso shaved off his beard for the first time in 22 years (it was for a good cause; a local cancer charity); looking for hydration after a game, he grabbed a sponsored bottle during a press conference, took a swig, pulled a face, then looked at the label and realised it was coconut water. More famous was the mix of Spanish and English he spoke when confronting a critic, TV pundit Josko Jelicic, live on air. 'I don't give the hand to you because you speak too much,' he bristled. This is Gattuso: unapologetically himself and endearingly so. Italians love him. He is a legend not only for helping win the World Cup but for being who he is. Is that enough? Conte still represents the perfect combination of motivation and strategy. Gattuso would like to think he offers something similar. But the results, so far, have not backed it up. Nevertheless, Gattuso believes Italy have the players to do better than they showed under Spalletti. Personality clashes aside, the problems of his predecessor, however, reveal the significant difficulty level of the job awaiting him. That a coach as skilled as Spalletti couldn't lift this team — either to make them play to their potential or become greater than the sum of their parts — is a concern. 'I don't leave a great Italy,' Spalletti said in his last media engagement. 'You can't do differently; there are many games (the calendar causes fatigue and compresses the time available to train), many foreign players (68 per cent of Serie A), and the number of players available is limited (because of injury). Then there are those who do not play for major clubs, those who do not play in European competitions, and others who are still developing.' One imagines Ranieri won't regret resisting the temptation to coach his country. He appeared to show wisdom in knowing when to say: 'No'. Gattuso, by contrast, didn't hesitate in saying: 'Yes' to Gravina. He obviously needs it more. For Gattuso, the inevitable hassle of the Italy job is superseded by the honour it brings. What that tells us about his judgement, and that of the FIGC, will become clear over the next year.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Roma has 2 coaches in charge with Ranieri advising Gasperini
ROME (AP) — Claudio Ranieri turned down Italy to stay at Roma. Gian Piero Gasperini chose the capital club over Juventus and left Atalanta after transforming the Bergamo team into a top contender in Italy and Europe. The two white-haired coaches sat side by side on the stage during Gasperini's presentation as Roma's new coach on Tuesday. The 73-year-old Ranieri is moving into an advisory role after coaching Roma out of a crisis. The 67-year-old Gasperini is looking to crown his career by making an impact in one of Italy's biggest markets for the first time. Gasperini acknowledged that he was approached by Juventus — his hometown club and the team that he spent his youth career with as a player. 'Yes. But I had a feeling that this was the right path, despite all the risks I keep being reminded about,' Gasperini said, alluding to the pressures of coaching a perennially underperforming club in the country's biggest city. 'Considering my style of soccer, I feel I can make an impact. It's an ideal situation. It's what I'm looking for right now. I strongly believe that I made the right choice.' The only other time Gasperini coached a big Italian club came in 2011 when he lasted just five winless matches at Inter Milan. But Ranieri said that Gasperini, who signed a three-year contract, could turn to him for help whenever trouble arises. 'My relationship will be like that of a friend,' Ranieri said. 'If he needs something, I will try to resolve it. That's my job now.' Gasperini is Roma's fourth coach in the 1½ years since Jose Mourinho was fired, following Daniele De Rossi, Ivan Juric and Ranieri. Roma is Ranieri's priority Ranieri was hired in November when Roma was struggling in 12th place. He guided the team to a fifth-place finish as the Giallorossi lost just once during the second half of the season. Then when Italy coach Luciano Spalletti was fired less than 10 days ago amid the prospect that the four-time champion could fail to qualify for the World Cup for a third straight time, the Italian soccer federation asked Ranieri to take over. Ranieri said no to the Italy job. 'I respect Italy but I'm with Roma,' the Roman-born Ranieri said when asked to explain what exactly happened. Gennaro Gattuso was hired to coach Italy instead. Gasperini's teams pile up goals Gasperini's Atalanta teams have been among the highest-scoring squads in Italy for years and strikers like Diego Milito (at Genoa), Duvan Zapata, Gianluca Scamacca and Mateo Retegui have all had explosive seasons under the manager. Does that mean that Roma strikers Artem Dovbyk and Tammy Abraham are set for career-defining campaigns? 'My teams have always scored a lot of goals,' Gasperini said. 'That's my style and I certainly want to try that again here with Roma.' Roma's prized but often injured playmaker Paulo Dybala once played under Gasperini at Palermo. 'I hope I don't change anything with Dybala, as good as he is,' Gasperini said. 'I just hope that he stays in good health and in good condition.' Gasperini's advice for Italian soccer Gasperini said it was disappointing for Italian soccer that the only European trophies won by Serie A clubs in the last 15 years were the Europa League trophy that he guided Atalanta to last year and the Conference League for Roma in 2022. The last Italian team to win the Champions League was Inter Milan in 2010. The Nerazzurri were embarrassingly beaten 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in last month's final. 'You need to play with a fast pace, because when you go abroad they play fast,' Gasperini said. 'Maybe we need to start looking at things a little differently. Because that's what works and that's the path we need to follow.' ___
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Roma has 2 coaches in charge with Ranieri advising Gasperini
ROME (AP) — Claudio Ranieri turned down Italy to stay at Roma. Gian Piero Gasperini chose the capital club over Juventus and left Atalanta after transforming the Bergamo team into a top contender in Italy and Europe. The two white-haired coaches sat side by side on the stage during Gasperini's presentation as Roma's new coach on Tuesday. The 73-year-old Ranieri is moving into an advisory role after coaching Roma out of a crisis. The 67-year-old Gasperini is looking to crown his career by making an impact in one of Italy's biggest markets for the first time. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Gasperini acknowledged that he was approached by Juventus — his hometown club and the team that he spent his youth career with as a player. 'Yes. But I had a feeling that this was the right path, despite all the risks I keep being reminded about,' Gasperini said, alluding to the pressures of coaching a perennially underperforming club in the country's biggest city. 'Considering my style of soccer, I feel I can make an impact. It's an ideal situation. It's what I'm looking for right now. I strongly believe that I made the right choice.' The only other time Gasperini coached a big Italian club came in 2011 when he lasted just five winless matches at Inter Milan. But Ranieri said that Gasperini, who signed a three-year contract, could turn to him for help whenever trouble arises. 'My relationship will be like that of a friend,' Ranieri said. 'If he needs something, I will try to resolve it. That's my job now.' Gasperini is Roma's fourth coach in the 1 1/2 years since Jose Mourinho was fired, following Daniele De Rossi, Ivan Juric and Ranieri. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Roma is Ranieri's priority Ranieri was hired in November when Roma was struggling in 12th place. He guided the team to a fifth-place finish as the Giallorossi lost just once during the second half of the season. Then when Italy coach Luciano Spalletti was fired less than 10 days ago amid the prospect that the four-time champion could fail to qualify for the World Cup for a third straight time, the Italian soccer federation asked Ranieri to take over. Ranieri said no to the Italy job. 'I respect Italy but I'm with Roma,' the Roman-born Ranieri said when asked to explain what exactly happened. Gennaro Gattuso was hired to coach Italy instead. Gasperini's teams pile up goals Gasperini's Atalanta teams have been among the highest-scoring squads in Italy for years and strikers like Diego Milito (at Genoa), Duvan Zapata, Gianluca Scamacca and Mateo Retegui have all had explosive seasons under the manager. Does that mean that Roma strikers Artem Dovbyk and Tammy Abraham are set for career-defining campaigns? 'My teams have always scored a lot of goals,' Gasperini said. 'That's my style and I certainly want to try that again here with Roma.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Roma's prized but often injured playmaker Paulo Dybala once played under Gasperini at Palermo. 'I hope I don't change anything with Dybala, as good as he is,' Gasperini said. 'I just hope that he stays in good health and in good condition.' Gasperini's advice for Italian soccer Gasperini said it was disappointing for Italian soccer that the only European trophies won by Serie A clubs in the last 15 years were the Europa League trophy that he guided Atalanta to last year and the Conference League for Roma in 2022. The last Italian team to win the Champions League was Inter Milan in 2010. The Nerazzurri were embarrassingly beaten 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in last month's final. 'You need to play with a fast pace, because when you go abroad they play fast,' Gasperini said. 'Maybe we need to start looking at things a little differently. Because that's what works and that's the path we need to follow.' Roma will play in the Europa League next season. ___ AP soccer:
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Roma not aiming for Serie A title 'but you never know', says Gasperini
The 67-year-old has replaced local hero Claudio Ranieri in the Roma dugout and is gunning for a first top-four finish since 2018. "Our best result would be Champions League qualification. Right now Roma can't win the Scudetto but you never know," Gasperini told reporters. "My goal is to make this team better... create a strong core group of players who can give us consistency, and form the basis into which the following season you can add more players who raise the level. That's the first thing I'm aiming for." Gasperini turned Bergamo club Atalanta from provincial also-rans in the shadow of the Milan giants down the road to one of Italy's best teams and even Europa League winners last year. He signed a three-year contract with Roma, one of Italy's biggest clubs with a large and passionate support but who have only won Serie A three times, the last coming exactly 24 years ago on Tuesday. They have been overtaken by fierce rivals Napoli whose recent Scudetto triumph took their tally to four, and two in the past three seasons. Roma finished fifth last season and missed out on the Champions League on the final day of the campaign after Ranieri came out of retirement to drag them away from near the relegation places. Gasperini chose Roma over Juventus who tried to convince him to move to Turin after failing to snatch club icon Antonio Conte from Napoli. Roma changes Ranieri will work alongside Gasperini and Roma's American owners the Friedkin Group, and he confirmed to reporters that sporting director Florent Ghisolfi will be replaced. "The club is assessing a few names, you will know as soon as possible the next sporting director," said Ranieri. Gasperini is a spiky character prone to angry outbursts at journalists and he will have to deal with both an expectant, highly-strung fan base and an intense media environment in the Italian capital. There are a slew of radio stations, websites and even a daily newspaper entirely dedicated to Roma, which have caused bust-ups with previous coaches and can create enormous pressure if results are not good. "Ever since I arrived people have been warning me about the atmosphere here in Rome, that it's a difficult place to obtain yor goals, football-wise, for a whole different range of reasons," said Gasperini. "I believe that this should be a strength rather than a weakness. There are a lot of you, and then people talk about the radio stations and the pressure. "What I see is great enthusiasm, a great passion for football and a huge desire to reach certain goals. I think all that energy needs to be channelled in the right direction." Roma begin their first Serie A season under Gasperini with the visit of Bologna, currently scheduled for Sunday August 24, while the first Rome derby of the season comes in the fourth week of the campaign.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Roma not aiming for Serie A title 'but you never know', says Gasperini
MILAN, Italy: Gian Piero Gasperini said Tuesday he does not expect Roma can challenge for the Serie A title in his first season after leaving Atalanta "but you never know." The 67-year-old has replaced local hero Claudio Ranieri in the Roma dugout and is gunning for a first top-four finish since 2018. "Our best result would be Champions League qualification. Right now Roma can't win the Scudetto but you never know," Gasperini told reporters. "My goal is to make this team better... create a strong core group of players who can give us consistency, and form the basis into which the following season you can add more players who raise the level. That's the first thing I'm aiming for." Gasperini turned Bergamo club Atalanta from provincial also-rans in the shadow of the Milan giants down the road to one of Italy's best teams and even Europa League winners last year. He signed a three-year contract with Roma, one of Italy's biggest clubs with a large and passionate support but who have only won Serie A three times, the last coming exactly 24 years ago on Tuesday. They have been overtaken by fierce rivals Napoli whose recent Scudetto triumph took their tally to four, and two in the past three seasons. Roma finished fifth last season and missed out on the Champions League on the final day of the campaign after Ranieri came out of retirement to drag them away from near the relegation places. Gasperini chose Roma over Juventus who tried to convince him to move to Turin after failing to snatch club icon Antonio Conte from Napoli. Ranieri will work alongside Gasperini and Roma's American owners the Friedkin Group, and he confirmed to reporters that sporting director Florent Ghisolfi will be replaced. "The club is assessing a few names, you will know as soon as possible the next sporting director," said Ranieri. Gasperini is a spiky character prone to angry outbursts at journalists and he will have to deal with both an expectant, highly-strung fan base and an intense media environment in the Italian capital. There are a slew of radio stations, websites and even a daily newspaper entirely dedicated to Roma, which have caused bust-ups with previous coaches and can create enormous pressure if results are not good. "Ever since I arrived people have been warning me about the atmosphere here in Rome, that it's a difficult place to obtain yor goals, football-wise, for a whole different range of reasons," said Gasperini. "I believe that this should be a strength rather than a weakness. There are a lot of you, and then people talk about the radio stations and the pressure. "What I see is great enthusiasm, a great passion for football and a huge desire to reach certain goals. I think all that energy needs to be channelled in the right direction." Roma begin their first Serie A season under Gasperini with the visit of Bologna, currently scheduled for Sunday August 24, while the first Rome derby of the season comes in the fourth week of the campaign.
