Cesare Prandelli admits his Italy exit “still hurts” and claims fans and media “massacre” the CT of the national team.
The Valencia Coach led the Azzurri to the final of Euro 2012, but resigned after a disastrous World Cup in 2014.
“Lose a game and the world collapses,” Prandelli told Corriere della Sera.
“But, as [Giovanni] Trapattoni says, as a CT you’re a man sentenced to death without knowing when they’ll cut your head off.
Cesare Prandelli admits his Italy exit “still hurts” and claims fans and media “massacre” the CT of the national team.
The Valencia Coach led the Azzurri to the final of Euro 2012, but resigned after a disastrous World Cup in 2014.
“Lose a game and the world collapses,” Prandelli told Corriere della Sera.
“But, as [Giovanni] Trapattoni says, as a CT you’re a man sentenced to death without knowing when they’ll cut your head off.
“It’s a torture: you can win the World Cup, say goodbye to everyone and never come back or…
“Or lose and resign? Exactly. But it was right to do so, even if the other CTs never did it. The President of the Federation was no longer there, it was the start of a new cycle, we had failed… what was I to do?
“I walked away from a two-year contract and €4m. Criticising is right, but not massacring. It’s typically Italian though, they build you up just to tear you down.
“I collaborated with several charities, after the World Cup they discarded me, betrayed me. On a human level, I find that shocking.
“It will always hurt, I still wonder why. Sometimes human beings are crazy.”
Mario Balotelli hasn’t played for Italy since being criticised by Prandelli after that doomed World Cup campaign…
“Have I heard from him? No. Our relationship was very strong, now he’s angry with me and I understand. But a Coach has to say no to make a player mature.
“Mario has to understand what he wants to do. If his priority is football he can become one of the top five in the world.”