Italy Under-21 Coach Gigi Di Biagio agrees with Roberto Mancini that youngsters “are playing less than two years ago and some haven’t played at all.”
After Azzurri boss Mancini protested that “our use of Italians has never been so low” and he had to adjust his call-ups accordingly.
The situation is even worse for Di Biagio, whose Azzurrini have friendlies with Slovakia on September 6 and Albania on September 11.
Italy Under-21 Coach Gigi Di Biagio agrees with Roberto Mancini that youngsters “are playing less than two years ago and some haven’t played at all.”
After Azzurri boss Mancini protested that “our use of Italians has never been so low” and he had to adjust his call-ups accordingly.
The situation is even worse for Di Biagio, whose Azzurrini have friendlies with Slovakia on September 6 and Albania on September 11.
“I start with a group that has a year more of experience, but some are playing less than before,” he said in a Press conference.
“Today we are less happy with the average playing time than we were two years ago, so we have to work with what we’ve got and that means focusing on some who haven’t played all.
“In recent years, we achieved some excellent results with the Nazionale at youth level. The problem is the step between the Under-21s and the next level, where all players are meant to soar, but ours struggle.
“It’s not an accusation aimed at the clubs or the Coaches, it’s just pointing out the facts. There may well be reasons, but I’d like to see these lads on the pitch more often.
“The concern we have is always the same: getting minutes under their belts.”