Legendary Italian coach Sacchi made it clear in an interview that he could not imagine Italy missing the World Cup for the third consecutive time and was confident in current coach Gennaro Gattuso and believed he could lead the team to successfully advance.
What do you think of the period leading up to the Estonia game?
I feel good because I believe in Gattuso, his seriousness and his ability to inject enthusiasm into the entire team.
Most likely, if we win all our games, we will qualify through the play-offs.
So what? I don’t care how we get to the World Cup, I just care that we get there. Because a third consecutive absence would be a heavy blow to the entire game of football. The national team is the tip of the iceberg.
If the national team works well, everyone benefits, starting with the clubs that don't always show a great deal of interest in the national team. Here I am talking about something I have personally experienced: how many times have clubs created obstacles for Italian teams? In our country, we must learn to think systematically, and we must work together rather than just thinking about personal interests.
Of course, we didn’t expect it would be so difficult to qualify. Do you agree?
Those who think they can achieve good results by virtue of their reputation are on the wrong track. In modern football, the level of each team has tended to be balanced. Nowadays you can lose to any opponent because the teams are very organized and because of the constant exchange of information due to the development of technology, there are basically no secrets anymore. For example, Norway is a modern team with both physical and technical skills, and a strong center like Haaland.
Not long ago, no one would have thought they could cause trouble for Italy, but the reality is that the Norwegians are ahead of us in the table and have beaten us in head-to-head meetings at their home stadium. Bread must be earned through toil and work, that's the truth. But I believe Gattuso will know how to strike the right chords with his players.
You said you are optimistic. Where does this optimism come from?
Mainly because I've seen improvement in the two games we've played since Gattuso took over as head coach. I don't want to talk about technological progress, although that is also important, but attitudinal progress. If I remember correctly, there were even people who refused to play for the national team before, and that really broke my heart. Now it seems to me that the players have done the right thing and everyone cares about the blue shirt.
What requirements do you have for the current Italian internationals?
Ask them to run for ninety minutes. No, even longer because we couldn't relax even in stoppage time. I want to see the commitment, the sacrifice, the desire to fight every snap. I definitely don't want to see any arrogance. If we go to Estonia and think we can win just because we are Italy, we are making a serious mistake. In life, too, in football, no one gives you anything for free. We are better than Estonia, that's a fact, but we have to prove that advantage on the field. If we understand these concepts, then we are on the right path. It's okay to miss the ball, but the important thing is to have the desire and energy to get the ball back immediately.
Is there any player you have high hopes for?
I think from a collective perspective, because football is played by eleven people. If Italy is a team, we can rest assured. Regardless, the forward tandem of Keane and Retegui looks to me to work well together. Now let's let them have fun and get us to the World Cup because I can't afford to be eliminated again.
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