Fabio Cannavaro warns Italian football has to ‘wake up’ and realise it is falling behind in terms of infrastructure, but is also worried that failing to qualify for the World Cup is ‘seen almost as normal.’
The retired defender won the Ballon d’Or in 2006 as well as the World Cup with Italy and had been mentioned as a candidate to take over should Roberto Mancini walk away after failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
“It’s only natural that when Italy doesn’t reach an important tournament like the World Cup, certain situations and names will make their way into the papers,” Cannavaro told Sky Sport Italia.
“I was a former player and captain of Italy, but the truth is there was never anything in those rumours. I was pleased with the link, as it means I did well with the Nazionale, but we never had talks.”
This is the second consecutive World Cup that Italy have failed to qualify for, even though between those tournaments they won the European Championship.
“What frightens me is seeing the way this is being treated almost as if it’s normal, people seem resigned to it.
“The system here does not work. We’re not progressing in the European club competitions, nor with Italy, so something has to change.”
Cannavaro worked with Marcello Lippi and then replaced him for a few games as manager of the China national squad.
What would he change to bring Italian football back to the top?
“We are behind in every conceivable area. Just watching Portugal-Turkey and Italy-North Macedonia, the difference of the stadiums was remarkable.
“We keep going like this and don’t realise that the others are going faster and we are no longer the best. We’ve got to wake up and do something.”
Cannavaro retired as a player in 2012 and has worked as a coach in China and the UAE, but is hoping for his first European management experience.
“The objective is to find a project that allows me to do what I want and show what I’ve got in mind. I have already turned down several offers.
“I chose to grow as a person and a coach by travelling, getting to know new cultures in other countries. I’d like to work in Italy too, but we need to do something about the infrastructure.”
Cannavaro: “In Italia è ora di svegliarci e cambiare. Io in Nazionale? Nulla di vero”#SkySport #Nazionale #Italia #Cannavaro https://t.co/TZ2LTTZ7WW
— skysport (@SkySport) April 11, 2022
Yes. It was due to the stadium that Italy fail to qualify for 2nd consecutive world cup. Not the managers or coaches or directors who play, signed overrarated and mediocre foreign players and not giving any chances to young players. Out of goals scored this week, if I recall correctly only 4 goals scored by Italians and 3 came from immobile. Yes you are capitano right the stadium are to blame..
Multiple problems in Italy, both for the league and the national team.
But don’t expect many solutions. This is Italy, after all. They’ll be talking and talking and doing nothing for the next 20 years.
All they do is talk and do nothing an Italian speciality . It’s like he says it’s becoming normal now that they don’t make it . The last time
They made a World Cup and got past first round is 2006 which is pretty sad .
All this talk about changing this or that. They just won the Euro’s. The main reason that they did not qualify is because Mancini refused to change. He did the same thing over and over again. This team was never the same after Spinazzola went down. They need some fresh young hungry players and change the formation once in a while they are too predictable. Teams watch film and figure out your tendencies and weaknesses. You have to keep them guessing. All weaker teams park the bus against Italy because it works.
England has great stadiums… not a lot of championships though, do they?
Italian football is in crisis and sadly nothing will change. As others have said, they will talk about change but will not have the guts to actual act on it. Typical of Italian football. Sad.. Very sad. How the mighty has fallen.
Italian football goes hand in hand with Italian politics. With the current government, nothing is going to change and it’s only going to get worse. Italy as we knew it is gone. Welcome the new Italy that has no character, determination and will to win. Prove me wrong!
Let’s not pretend italy did badly because of the government. It has been falling behind for decades. Although a string economy allows fans to buy tickets.
The football is too slow and this starts from the bottom. Italians not scoring isn’t because they’re not being played its because the youth sectors aren’t producing the talent. Look at Spain France Brazil Argentina to see how they keep producing great players. Even England have brought through Foden Sterling kane. Italy aren’t terrible but their football needs to get faster. And yes they need to own their stadiums to compete financially. But let’s not forget the euros italy and the 2 years before. Italy were great and played the best football I’ve seen them play. They just need a bigger squad Sotherton can vary their tactics.
Unfortunately it is normal, because it’s happened twice in a row.
Italy have a great team and were worthy winners of the Euros – but they need to convert pressure into goals. They were clearly a FAR better team than Switzerland (and North Macedonia).
This has nothing to do with the stadiums! Mancini is to blame for not changing the team when everyone else, except him, could see that players were off form.
Yeah, infrastructure is the problem…
The 67% and counting foreign players in Serie A need better stadiums. This will surely help Gli Azzurri.
The restructure of the whole Italian Game should have happened after the 2010 Debacle in South Africa but No, teams were cobbled together and a 2012 Final and 2020 Win and the literal insanity on the Euro 2016 Qtr with the worst Italian team ever just papered over earthquake style cracks. As usual all talk and no Action so 2022 is what we deserve. Now what the hell are we going to do about it? in Germany it took one Junk tournament Euro 2000 for them to rip the system up and start again. They have a problem and it how do they fix it? Italy and the rest have a problem and do nothing. Maybe that’s why a Germany is a more successful country than most.