Former England star Stuart Pearce admits there is a tendency to mistakenly ‘write off’ Italian sides, but trusts Nicolò Barella can stand out at EURO 2024 and reveals he nearly joined Sampdoria.
The 62-year-old had 78 senior caps for England, scoring five goals, and spent his entire career in Britain as both a player and then a coach.
Going into the European Championships, few consider Italy to be among the favourites, but then that was also true when they lifted the trophy at Wembley Stadium three years ago, beating England in the Final.
“In England, we often to our cost write off the Italian sides,” Pearce told The Italian Football Podcast.
“They are an extremely well-rounded team, they always are, it is the culture of football in Italy. I don’t think they have as strong a clutch of players as they have done in the past when they have won things. But they seem to find a way and I don’t think too many teams will enjoy playing against them.
“If you ask me whether I think they can win, then probably not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they did either.”
Pearce picks Italy stars to poach for England
The Azzurri have seen their defence decimated by injuries to Francesco Acerbi, Giorgio Scalvini and Destiny Udogie, but the midfield is where they truly excel.
This is also reflected in Pearce confirming if there was an Italy star he could poach to play for the England team, it would be Inter man Barella.
“He is the standout player, there’s no doubt about that. To have a major impact on a finals, you have to have a standout player who is considered world class. And he is. With him in the ranks he certainly gives Italy a better chance of going far into the tournament.
“He would be the standout player from Italy I would take for England. But he would also come into a clutch of players who England have that are very strong as well. You’ve got Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden who many nations would love to take.”
Gianluca Scamacca struggled throughout his career to really bring out that potential, including last season at West Ham United, but seems to have flourished under Gian Piero Gasperini’s guidance with Atalanta, winning the Europa League.
“West Ham had a couple of centre forwards – Haller before him – that have not worked out,” added former West Ham assistant manager Pearce.
“The Premier League is not an easy place for a foreign striker to come and settle into. We could come up with dozens of players in the past who have done well in Dutch football or Italian football, and so on, that have not hit it off in the Premier League.
“I used to go into West Ham even after I left and watch him train and he had the ability to score goals. Sometimes it is just settling into a new country that just didn’t sit with him. He is a talented individual and now he is in an environment now that he enjoys and flourishes in.”
When Pearce almost joined Sampdoria
Although he never worked abroad, that was not entirely by choice, as Pearce reveals he was almost part of the flood of English players moving to Serie A in 1992.
“I would have liked to have played in Serie A. It was the highest standard of football in the world at the time. My close friend Des Walker went there and played for Sampdoria. He used to tell me how enjoyable it was playing in Italy.
“In 1992 I thought there was interest in me from Sampdoria as well, going there to join Walker. But nothing came of that. It would have been a good place to go and play your football. It makes you a more rounded player.
“All the players that went there from England, they only took the good ones. The real top quality. They had enough good players. Especially defenders. But it would have interested me, yes.”
you think that 4 world cups, 2 Euros cups and several other semi final/final appearances would teach the other sides that italy is a powerhouse.