Spalletti: ‘I left the Italy squad exactly the same as I found it’

Luciano Spalletti held his final press conference as Italy coach, admitting the media was ‘too kind’ and that he wishes his successor well, but also sees systemic problems. ‘I left the Nazionale exactly the same as I found it.’

The CT confessed yesterday that he had already been dismissed, regardless of this evening’s result against Moldova, after that humiliating 3-0 defeat in Norway on Friday evening.

He bowed out with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso, although it was again far from a convincing performance in any way, shape or form.

“The crowd showed us such warmth, and we should’ve fired them up a bit more,” confessed Spalletti in his last press conference.

He had team manager Gigi Buffon by his side, while FIGC President Gabriele Gravina was in the building too.

“I live with difficulties, I have done so my whole life. When someone tries to show pity for me, I feel like headbutting them, I react to that every time,” insisted the coach.

There are reports that Claudio Ranieri is the first choice to replace him, with Stefano Pioli another alternative for the role.

“I admit that I am not leaving behind a great Italy squad to my successor, because tonight again it was not a very good performance. I was given the opportunity to work. I tried, I made mistakes, and I staged some experiments. In whatever I do, I try to learn, I am not convinced that I know more than anyone else.

“I was unable to get the best out of these players and I have to recognise that. Everyone was below par. In fact, you all were too kind to me, I would’ve been harsher. If one day I have to talk badly about you…” joked Spalletti with the media.

Now that he is bowing out, what advice would Spalletti give to whoever comes after him?

“I tried to shake things up when I arrived, but perhaps I did more damage, from what I saw. Buffon grumbled to me four or five times about that. Gigi helped me so much. You only realise afterwards if you did the right thing or not, I tried some things. I wish all the best to the Federation and the new coach who will come.”

What does Spalletti take from this experience that lasted under two years, since stepping in to replace Roberto Mancini?

“The disappointment is the love that I have for this Nazionale. Tonight, seven or eight kids were running to greet the team bus as we arrived. We look at the love that surrounds us and we were unable to repay that with the right performances.”

Spalletti announced his dismissal in a press conference yesterday, but he had informed the players first in the build-up to the match against Moldova. What did they say?

“They stayed quiet, there was nothing they could say. I called them in five minutes earlier, but they had got a sense of how things were going and so I decided to just come out with it. After all, if I had kept it to myself, today and tomorrow would’ve been just non-stop controversy.

“I am angry with myself and nobody else, because I did my job badly. I leave this Italy team pretty much where I found it, but I failed to improve matters, which means I didn’t do my job well. In my first match as CT, there was the fear we wouldn’t qualify for the Euros, now I leave them in the same situation.

“I hope that whoever comes after me can improve this team, because I certainly do not wish ill upon this squad. I hope someone tells those who refuse the call-up that it means they will never get called up again.”

The reference was to Francesco Acerbi, as the Inter defender rejected the call for these two World Cup qualifiers after claiming he had been ‘disrespected’ by Spalletti.

“I might’ve behaved badly there, but there was a dialogue on the phone too. I apologised to Acerbi and he’d said it was all OK, but then… It’s true I hadn’t called him before, but that is because I wanted to give playing time to Calafiori, to Buongiorno, while Leoni was getting ready too. I remain convinced others would’ve made the same choices.

“I asked how old Acerbi was because I made some calculations about the date of the World Cup. Acerbi was a better defender than anyone towards the end of the season, so I have to absorb what Serie A shows me.”

Spalletti was also critical of the lengthy and packed fixture list, which isn’t even over because Inter and Juventus are heading into the Club World Cup.

“It is difficult if the muscles and the legs aren’t working. Tonali pushes constantly, he’s like an African marathon runner, but it’s tough for the others. Maybe I made some bad choices, and probably we were unlucky that the first fixture was Norway away from home. If you have the easier matches now and the tougher ones in September, it might’ve been different. Having said all of that, I didn’t do a good job.”

Italy has for years run into the same problem, which is that the group of players they can call upon is getting smaller and smaller.

“I tried calling Chiesa, but he never played. Zaccagni was hurt and asked to be left at home. Zaniolo barely plays now. All teams need to favour players who take men on, because we’re not seeing much of them now and they are the players who make the difference.”

Despite that, Spalletti left out Riccardo Orsolini for over a year despite his extraordinary Bologna form and ignored Napoli winger Matteo Politano.

In conclusion, the now former CT was asked if the role really was as thankless as it looks.

“I don’t know, if you accept the role, you have to find solutions. You cannot hide behind the alibi of there not being many players. I made mistakes and in some ways it’s only right that I be sent home, but I did not hand in my resignation because I am convinced that I can do better.

“If I am told that I’m not the right man, then I accept that. I left the Nazionale exactly the same as I found it.”

Spalletti oversaw 12 victories, six draws and six defeats, scoring 40 goals and conceding 29.