Ternana Coach Sandro Pochesci went on a remarkable rant after Italy’s defeat to Sweden, who he claims are “on the level of a third division side.”
The 1-0 loss in Solna put Italy on the verge of elimination from the World Cup for the first time since 1958, but can still be turned around at San Siro on Monday.
Most Coaches and players tried to give an optimistic tint to their comments, but in Serie B there was no holding back for Ternana boss Pochesci in a fiery Press conference.
Ternana Coach Sandro Pochesci went on a remarkable rant after Italy’s defeat to Sweden, who he claims are “on the level of a third division side.”
The 1-0 loss in Solna put Italy on the verge of elimination from the World Cup for the first time since 1958, but can still be turned around at San Siro on Monday.
Most Coaches and players tried to give an optimistic tint to their comments, but in Serie B there was no holding back for Ternana boss Pochesci in a fiery Press conference.
“In the old days, Italy would give the opposition a beating and win, now they beat us up and we cry. We’ve all become wimps. By bringing so many foreign players to the Italian league, we no longer have good old-fashioned Italian strongmen. We go to Sweden and they beat us up instead.
“Italian football is finished. We’re going out of the World Cup because we were afraid. You cannot play with fear. If I see my team playing with fear, I am walking out and putting someone more courageous in my place, because evidently it must’ve been me who transmitted this fear to them.
“If we miss the World Cup, then we have all lost. I mean journalists, Coaches, players, we’ve all got to wake up and change the rules.
“The Primavera youth teams are full of foreign players, enough is enough. This is Italian football, otherwise we may as well play only in Europe or the world.”
Pochesci was not one of those rushing to get Napoli midfielder Jorginho in the line-up either, as he is also against the ‘Oriundi’ – players of Italian origin who were born and raised elsewhere.
“Every month a new Oriundo appears, but they ought to go to Serie C and D to give those players an opportunity. If we had used a Serie C club against Sweden, they would’ve won, because this Sweden is on the level of a third division side.
“What happens when there is fear? You score an own goal! We must now prepare for Monday with the thought we could go out of the World Cup. It’s shameful.”