Former Italy Under-21 coach Claudio Gentile was furious when reflecting on the Azzurrini’s failure at the European Championship, laying the blame at the FIGC and agents.
Italy were expected to put on a good show at the U-21 European Championship, having a number of exciting talents in their squad, but they disappointed at the tournament.
The Azzurrini crashed out at the group stages, finishing third with three points behind Switzerland and France, capping off a miserable June for Italian football. In the U-20 World Cup, Italy lost to Uruguay in the final, and all three Serie A sides lost their respective European cup finals.
Speaking to Libero via Calciomercato.com, Gentile first shared his frustrations with Italy U-21 coach Paolo Nicolato.
“I have nothing against the person, but Nicolato had already failed a European Championship. Yet he remained in place, ready to fail again. He must have very special saints in heaven.
“In my time, recommendations were worth more than merits. It makes me think that around Via Allegri, in Rome, everything has remained the same.
“Before the European Championship I thought: with these names, the Under 21 is a top team. I remain convinced, they were a very strong national team.”
The former coach – who guided the Azzurrini to glory in the U-21 European Championship in 2004 – touched on the issues plaguing Italian football.
“The flop of the Under 21 underlines how sick Italian football is. The players are in the hands of the agents and this is their evil.
“I’d like to understand why they have such highs and lows or why on earth a talent like Kean allowed himself to leave the training camp of the Under 21 before these nefarious European Championships…
“Who was he advised by? I have never had an agent. Agents ruin football. In the Federation it seems to me that recommendations are worth more than people’s actual merits.”
Finally, Gentile reflected on his own history with the Italian national team and what went wrong with the FIGC.
“It’s all the same as in my day when I was knocked off after I led the Under-21 team to win the European Championship and win a historic medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
“Because of certain little people within the federation, I saw my career cut short because I didn’t lower my head. And I didn’t listen to the invitations of certain agents who wanted to impose players in the call-ups.
“I paid dearly for it. I was sent off in 2006 when they had made me think I would be Lippi’s successor. At the Olympics I had fielded and developed six players who then became world champions two years later, including Pirlo, Gilardino, De Rossi and Barzagli. I had some merit, didn’t I?”
It was a flop. Coming third in the group and losing 2 games out of three. OK, the France game should have been a draw with the disallowed goal that was. But to lose to Norway, with respect etc, come on Italia. It has been a disappointing month.
Great article. Bravo Claudio.
He is NOT wrong. Unfortunately, as usual this will fall on deaf ears.
italia is not able to finish a game off our strikers cannot put alls in the unlike england rocket ship shots no tick and tack finisn the game we hav no strong and musucular strikers spai franc portugal norway eweden croatia sebeia germany mancini must go balloteli come back we will make euros and down we go
This article should be published on the front page of every italian newspaper throughout Italy. Kudos to Apollo from FI publishing the comments. It sad as someone said this will fall on deaf ears.