Italy SACK Luciano Spalletti as boss storms out of press conference.. with Premier League legend favourite to land job
ITALY coach Luciano Spalletti revealed he has been SACKED and will leave his post after tonight's World Cup qualifier with Moldova.
Former
news
conference at the helm.
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Luciano Spalletti revealed he has been sacked by Italy
5
Spalletti stormed out of his pre-match press conference in Florence
But a last 16 exit in Euro 2024 saw him under threat and Friday's 3-0 trouncing by Norway in their opening qualifier for the 2026 World Cup saw him given his marching orders by Italian FA boss Gabriele Gravina.
Speaking in Milan ahead of the Moldova game,
'I'm sorry, I would have preferred to stay and try to change things. I have an excellent relationship with Gravina, but I take note of the dismissal due to the negative results.
'So I will be on the bench against Moldova, then I will give the ok to terminate the contract. I owe it to the Federation that has always supported me, even when the results did not arrive.'
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Spalletti added: 'What's important is the new cycle for the national team. I say this without hypocrisy, jealousy or envy.
'It hurts me that I was not able to bring out the best in all the players or expressed my football.
'I am also disappointed with myself. With these results I know I have created problems for the Italian
football
movement and I am especially sorry for this.
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'If anything, the criticism I received after the Norway match was far too understanding.'
Claudio Ranieri
, 73, only left his role at
Who could replace Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham manager?
5
Claudio Ranieri is pipped to replace Spalletti after leaving Roma in May
'I will speak to the boys and ask them for character: we have to go to the World Cup, even if it will be complicated.
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'We must not believe we are stronger than the others, it is something we have already paid for.
'For me they are the right men: I would be happy if the new coach confirmed them, because it would mean that I did not make a mistake in choosing the players.
'When I spoke with the managers of the various clubs I never had any problems, I always had the utmost availability and understanding. I never had any particular problems.
'From my point of view, having worked in club
football
, I actually tried to spare some in some cases to avoid problems and controversies.
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'If then there are those who use subterfuges to avoid coming to the national team, from my point of view it is better that they never come again."
5
Italy fans edited a picture of Ranieri as a Roman emperor
That opened the door for a question over whether Spalletti felt 'betrayed' by some players who had ducked his international calls.
Briefly, he started to answer 'Why should I feel betrayed?' before stopping himself, getting to his feet and walking out after just 24 minutes.
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The Azzurri have not appeared at a World Cup since 2014 after losing playoffs to
Sweden
(2018) and
Wembley
.
Fans have begged
Ranieri,
w
ho won the Premier League with
Chelsea
and
Fulham
, to save the day.
5
Ranieri shocked the world when he led Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016
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