Cesare Prandelli looks back over the failed World Cup campaign, Mario Balotelli and how Italy go into Euro 2016.

“The elimination in Brazil remains an open wound,” the former Italy Coach told La Repubblica newspaper.

“I am still irritated by certain articles. The pain is because the World Cup wiped out four years of work. But going back, I’d do it all again, including my resignation.

Cesare Prandelli looks back over the failed World Cup campaign, Mario Balotelli and how Italy go into Euro 2016.

“The elimination in Brazil remains an open wound,” the former Italy Coach told La Repubblica newspaper.

“I am still irritated by certain articles. The pain is because the World Cup wiped out four years of work. But going back, I’d do it all again, including my resignation.

“I didn’t take a second to decide, it was only right that I should take my share of the responsibility. I think Coaches should sign one-year contracts with a club, then if things don’t go well just tell the directors to sort themselves out.”

Balotelli was considered one of the main issues at the 2014 World Cup and Prandelli laughed when asked about him.

“When I don’t get questions about Balotelli, I almost start to worry… I said that the current generation does not put professionalism at the top of the priorities. In my day, if you lost a game then you wouldn’t go out dancing, you’d close yourself indoors mortified at the humiliation.

“These lads nowadays don’t have the determination and grit, they don’t realise that they are privileged. We players were poor and the upper classes watched us from the stands. Now it’s the other way round.”

Antonio Conte is in charge of the Azzurri going into next summer’s European Championships, where Prandelli reached the Final in 2012.

“Conte has an important base to build on and it’s right he should plan the journey thinking about the Final. Of course in a tournament like that a thousand different variables can affect the result. We had four injured players against Spain and not enough time to evaluate their fitness levels properly.

“I’m sure Conte doesn’t need my advice, but Domenico Berardi, Riccardo Saponara and Federico Bernardeschi are very, very interesting players.

“When I called up Federico to an Italy get-together, I was criticised because he was in Serie B with Crotone.”

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