Mancini spoilt for choice as Italy head to Euros
PALERMO (ITALY) : Only 14 months ago Italians were wondering where national coach Roberto Mancini was going to find enough quality players to produce a team worthy of the country’s history. Their biggest names were well into their thirties while the most promising youngsters were stuck in the reserves at Serie A clubs. “The use of Italians has never been so low,” he said at the time.
Now Mancini’s biggest headache is who he will leave out of the 23-man squad that will head for Euro 2020 in June. Few coaches have rebuilt a team as quickly and as impressively as Mancini, who took over in May last year with Italy in disarray after their failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
After losing 1-0 to Portugal in September last year, their fourth competitive match without a win, there was a feeling not even Mancini could rescue them. “Italy always going downwards,” said Gazzetta dello Sport. Yet Italy stormed through their Euro qualifying group with a perfect record, culminating in Monday’s 9-1 demolition of Armenia, and are on a record-breaking run of 11 successive wins.
The 54-year-old coach has shown remarkable faith in young players and a talent for injecting confidence and helping them to
perform to the best of their ability. Over 19 matches he has selected 65 players and given international debuts to 24. Among those was Nicolo Zaniolo, who was called up last year before he had made his Serie A debut.
Zaniolo, who scored his first two Italy goals against Armenia, is now regarded as one of the most promising players Italy has produced in recent years.
More surprising is that Mancini has given chances to late developers such as forward Kevin Lasagna and defender Armando Izzo, who made their Italy debuts at 26 and 27 respectively. Last month Mancini also called up 26-year-old Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who reached Serie A only last season after spells with Empoli in Serie B and Matera in the third tier of Italian soccer.
“Something special has happened. We have won all the games with a squad that people did not have much faith in,” Mancini said.
“I think the public have taken to them because they are young lads, from so many different teams. They’ve played well and kept a high standard.” Brazilianborn midfielder Jorginho said Italy’s adventurous style—far removed from their dour tradition—had also won over the public. “There is a little bit of Brazil in this team,” he said.
ENRIQUE RETURNS AFTER TRAGEDY
MADRID: Luis Enrique will return as Spain coach and replace Robert Moreno ahead of Euro 2020, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Tuesday. Moreno took charge in June after Luis Enrique had resigned to take care of his daughter Xana, who died in August of bone cancer.
“Today we can confirm Luis Enrique returns to his position of work,” RFEF president Luis Rubiales said at the national team’s training base in Las Rozas.
Rubiales said Enrique has a contract until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and that it will be up to him whether Moreno is offered a chance to resume his previous role as assistant coach. The pair were close friends and also worked together at Barcelona, Celta Vigo and Roma but Moreno appears upset at the manner of his departure.