“I will only feel like coach of the national team when I have brought Italy forward in the European Championship.” Words and music by Luciano Spallettitechnical commissioner of the national team who spoke at Corriere dello Sport also touching on the topic of the next European Championship.
Unlike some of your predecessors, you have not yet complained about the limited pool you can draw on.
“What do I do? Do I accept a task and leave with alibis? The national team shirt is something special. When you arrive in the national team you know that you have to fill that shirt. And you wear it all the time. You have to train well in the two hours of exercise, but also in the following 22 you have the duty to behave appropriately. Better a player who is a little less qualitative, but morally intact. Some time ago there was too much talk about one of my considerations on rest, that is, on the fact that you need to be rested when you go to play, this very banal principle cannot be labeled as the Spalletti code, but as an indispensable professional duty.”
I imagine who you are referring to.
“Don’t force yourself, the speech should be interpreted in general. Rather…”.
…rather what?
“…I would like to bring four World Cup 10s, Baggio, Del Piero, Totti and Antognoni to Coverciano, when we meet to prepare for the European Championships. I have already spoken about it with Gravina. Imagine if that 40 attended one of our training sessions: he would push the boys to elevate their performance… The Federation’s official invitation will soon go out. If you want, I can also talk to you about a 10 in goal and more.”
What do I do? Do I reject Gigi?
“I knew Buffon as a great goalkeeper, football man and dressing room leader, but in this period together I understood that he is also a great friend and that the manager will live up to the champion he was. He demonstrates that he possesses quality and knowledge even in a completely new role… And if the words don’t arrive, just look at it to understand where we want to go.”
Let’s go back to Gravina, some say that he contacted you long before mid-August?
“Whoever tells such nonsense forgets that it was Mancini who resigned and gave it suddenly. I met the president for the first time in the following days and I can say I saw him in great difficulty.”
Should we have faith in the European Championship?
“Trust must correspond to the love you feel for the national team. The more you love it, the more trust you have. We shouldn’t fear anyone, let’s keep it in our heads as an obsession. We are the means to achieve full happiness. Ours and that of those who love us”.
