Former Under-21 Italy coach Paolo Nicolato claims it is ‘dangerous’ that players are promoted to international duty ‘too easily’ without first doing the hard graft.
The Azzurrini crashed out in the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship in June and that prompted his dismissal, as the contract was not renewed.
There was a change at the senior level too when Roberto Mancini resigned on August 13, making way for Luciano Spalletti, who will make his debut this evening against North Macedonia.
Meanwhile, Nicolato spoke to the Corriere della Sera and expressed some interesting ideas on what it takes to get into the Nazionale nowadays.
“I think players reach the senior Italy squad too easily now and that is not a message I agree with, as I feel it can be dangerous,” said the former coach.
“It is not easy for example to deal with lads who go up into the senior side and then return to the Under-21s. Even without them consciously thinking about it, the objectives and motivation do change.”
Some of the senior players were recalled to the Under-21 team for the European Championship, such as Sandro Tonali, but others like Juventus striker Moise Kean preferred not to make that drop down.
“The sensation of rapidly reaching the senior squad is a negative one. I see a call-up as being something serious, that you have to earn while going on a journey. It is not just about age. The Nazionale is not a club team, so the Under-20 and Under-21 teams cannot be treated like a youth academy. It’s a different dynamic, there’s not much time to work with the players.”
Just before Mancini’s resignation, he had been given a new role as co-ordinator of the Italy youth teams, in the hope that by getting them all to play similar tactical systems, it would be easier to promote players from one level to the next.
However, that too did not sit at all well with Nicolato’s ideas.
“I think that is a bad idea and a completely illogical one too. Every year is different and you need to get the best out of the players at your disposal, not be tied to a tactical shape.”