Italy Under-21 Coach Gigi Di Biagio reckons that Italian teams are not bold enough when it comes to giving more playing time to their youngsters.
Di Biagio has qualified Italy’s youth to next summer’s European Championships in the Czech Republic, but feels his players need greater opportunity to showcase themselves at a club level.
Italy Under-21 Coach Gigi Di Biagio reckons that Italian teams are not bold enough when it comes to giving more playing time to their youngsters.
Di Biagio has qualified Italy’s youth to next summer’s European Championships in the Czech Republic, but feels his players need greater opportunity to showcase themselves at a club level.
“I was angry after the victory against Slovakia because I can’t stand that somebody says that we qualified for the Euros because of an ‘episode,” Di Biagio began to La Repubblica in an interview.
“We can’t focus only on that without thinking what we had done until then.
“Against Slovakia we could have won 3-0 in the first leg and 5-0 in the second. In total, we scored 23 and conceded nine goals in 10 games – we were the best attack and the best defence. Does this mean something, or not?”
Whilst a number of his players have risen in prominence in Serie A this term, Di Biagio urges their clubs to do more.
“Watching Under-21 games, many clubs have realised to have youngsters of great quality within their ranks and they have started to use them.
“In the last 15 months, this group has grown a lot and the boys have changed.
“They have started to train with the first team and they have even put more minutes under their belts.
“But that’s not enough because they still don’t play as much as they should in their teams. And in these conditions, it’s not easy to fill the gap with other national teams.
“I don’t want to say this to argue with clubs or Coaches, it’s just an observation. I think that clubs in Serie A lack courage and they also want everything yesterday.
“One needs to teach youngsters and need to be patient with them. We should give them the possibility to make mistakes.
“But instead in Italy when you make a mistake then you go straight to the bench for 10 games.
“Apart from Zdenek Zeman, or teams like Empoli and Crotone who are making their youngsters play, the rest have struggled.
“But I can’t ask clubs to make youngsters play more – I can only adapt.”
Di Biagio has only praise for his crop of players, and thinks that a few of them might also be ready to make the grade in the near future.
“I think that Andrea Belotti has grown a lot, whilst in defence Daniele Rugani and Alessio Romagnoli have really surprised me.
“But the most incredible think is Matteo Bianchetti. He never plays, and he just plays with the Under-21 side.
“Is it possible that there’s no team in Serie B where he could be in the starting XI, or no team in Serie A where he could play some game?
“Then there is Federico Bernardeschi who still has substantial room for improvement and he really didn’t need this injury.
“I am sorry for the boy but also for Fiorentina and then for us. We’ll wait for him with open arms.
“I think that four or five of my players are ready to make the leap to the national team. We often talk with Antonio Conte and he is aware of my thinking.
“I am happy he was shortlisted for FIFA’s Coach of the Year – he deserves it. And the same is true for Carlo Ancelotti – I hope one of them wins.
“Whilst I am not surprised that no Italian player was shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or – we don’t have enough star players and then there’s the elimination at the World Cup which affects us.”
On Thursday the draw for the European Under-21 Championship Finals will take place in Prague and Di Biagio is aware of the Azzurrini’s targets.
“It will be important to avoid Germany, Serbia and Portugal – today we aren’t at their level. We still have some problems to sort out, but time is on our side and we’ll be ready.
“Many of these boys have grown up together and throughout the years they have understood the importance of the blue shirt. There is a strong sense of belonging.
“At the same time if we want to play at a high level, we need to be more balanced and possess the strength to finish games off. We need to be more cynical because emotionally, we are just too unbalanced.
“Possibly it’s also my fault because I failed to convey some concepts, but in the next few months, I will work on this.
“But personally I always strive for the best. I want to win the Euros next year and then I want to be at the Olympics in Rio as a protagonist.”
Finally, when asked his personal targets in the long term, Di Biagio didn’t hesitate: “I’ve received some offers from clubs but I said no. My target is to be a Coach of a great club.”