adminstarting XI is not over.
The 55-year-old Italian, who earned his spurs in a turbulent but largely successful five-year spell with Fiorentina, took over from Marcello Lippi in the wake of Italy’s group stage exit from the 2010 World Cup.
Italy’s disaster in South Africa marked the end for some of those who had worn the Azzurri shirt with pride, including defenders Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluca Zambrotta and midfielders Mauro Camoranesi and Gennaro Gattuso.
Prandelli’s task has been integrating Italy’s youth players with the more experienced squad members, and that has prompted tactical tinkering which has sparked some criticism.
Prandelli, however, said he will stick to his plan to make Italy great again.
“It’s been said we’ll make a lot of changes, but the most important thing is for us to play quality football,” he said after a dire 2-2 draw against Bulgaria in Sofia at the start of World Cup qualifying last September.
“We are Italy and we must characterise something more than a simple tactical model. We have to rediscover our identity.”
From the Lippi squad that secured Italy’s fourth World Cup triumph in 2006 and the side he led through that disastrous 2010 campaign, there are now only a handful of real “veterans” in the Italy camp.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo boast 128 and 99 caps for the Azzurri, with fellow Juventus teammates Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli on 58 and 42 respectively. Daniele De Rossi of Roma is the elder statesman in midfield with 85 caps while Prandelli’s most experienced stiker is Bologna’s
Alberto Gilardino, who has 18 goals in 51 appearances but has not played regularly in recent campaigns. — AFP.
Online Reporter