Giampiero Ventura wants to “go to the World Cup and win it” and promises his best Italy is “yet to come”.
The Azzurri are joint-top of Group G as they seek to win a place in Russia, but will have to beat Spain to top-spot if they’re to get there automatically.
“I hope Italy can go to the World Cup and win it,” Ventura told reporters at Coverciano today.
“That’s our goal and we hope to achieve it with a group of players who are not just passing through, but who will become a bedrock for the future.
Giampiero Ventura wants to “go to the World Cup and win it” and promises his best Italy is “yet to come”.
The Azzurri are joint-top of Group G as they seek to win a place in Russia, but will have to beat Spain to top-spot if they’re to get there automatically.
“I hope Italy can go to the World Cup and win it,” Ventura told reporters at Coverciano today.
“That’s our goal and we hope to achieve it with a group of players who are not just passing through, but who will become a bedrock for the future.
“In football there are historic moments, and right now we’re at the beginning of the construction of a great group.
“Ventura’s best Italy? It’s still to come.”
Ventura was then asked about the current Serie A season, and specifically whether Napoli can win the Scudetto.
“The Napoli Coach [Maurizio Sarri] is working very well, but I’m disappointed because nine of their 11 players are foreigners.
“I saw their game yesterday, they had a great performance and scored five goals, though they conceded three.
“They’re perhaps missing something to fight for the Scudetto, Juventus wouldn’t have conceded two goals at 5-1 up.
“What the chasers are lacking is consistency of results, even against the smaller sides. Juventus have won five consecutive Scudetti, and in doing that they’ve shown they’re superior in many aspects, not just techically.
“They have absolute reference points.”
Video Assistant Referees were used for the first time at the Club World Cup, and the CT was asked for his opinion on the new technology.
“In Italy we have this concept of everything at once,” Ventura said.
“Football has to evolve and I believe that VAR is a good thing. It takes time, as everything does. I believe that examining controversial incidents is essential to getting the correct result in the end.
“On average it takes between six and eight seconds to get an answer, above all on whether it’s a goal or not a goal or incidents which affect the result of a game.
“I could name the famous ‘Gol di Muntari’ or the penalty not given to Genoa this year against Pescara.
“I’m constantly amazed by the skill or our referees and assistants, who hardly ever get it wrong. We’re just at the beginning of VAR, in a year or two everything will flow faster.”