Latest news with #HadjukSplit
France 24
12 hours ago
- Sport
- France 24
Gattuso convinced Italy can reach World Cup
Italy are at risk of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup after a troubled start to their qualifying campaign which has left them nine points behind Group I leaders Norway and cost Spalletti his job. Asked whether he had more hope or conviction that Italy could reach next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Gattuso said: "conviction". "I believe that we have good players available to us. We have four or five who are among the top 10 in the world in their position," added Gattuso. "We have a good team, but I do mean team, I'm not thinking about individuals. I'm convinced that the team has quality and I'm convinced that we can achieve our goal." Gattuso has a tough job on his hands with only top spot in the group giving automatic qualification to the World Cup, even with Italy having played two fewer games than Norway. As well as the significant points gap Italy have a goal difference which is 12 goals worse than Norway, who hammered Italy 3-0 earlier in June. That leaves Italy with the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, as their only realistic shot at qualification. "We need to bring back the enthusiasm and not think negatively. My goal is to make sure that the players that come to (Italy's training centre) Coverciano do so with great enthusiasm, and to create a family," said Gattuso. "After formations, technique and tactics the priority is to recreate that mentality that in the past has made us stand out." Gattuso, a World Cup winner in 2006, was not the Italian Football Federation's first choice to replace Spalletti. Claudio Ranieri eventually turned down an appeal to come out of retirement, for a second time, to save his country's footballing fortunes. But Italy icon Gianluigi Buffon, now head of the national team delegation, said he believes Gattuso is capable of defying those who doubt his capabilities after an up-and-down coaching career. Gattuso, 47, was recently sacked by Hadjuk Split but has also managed AC Milan and Napoli, winning the Italian Cup with the latter club five years ago. "I had a long playing career and every time I faced once of Rino's teams with Juventus they gave us a hard time, you had the idea that his teams had a precise identity, and that there was a lot of work and thought behind them," said Buffon. "It's very simple, when you're on the pitch you can tell straight away if behind the other team there is a good coach or not. And I every time I faced his Milan or Napoli team I could tell that was the case." Gattuso will be in the dugout for the first time in September when Italy host Estonia in Bergamo before travelling to Hungary to take on Israel.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
World Cup winner Gattuso takes over as Italy coach
dpa Rome Gennaro Gattuso was named as the new Italy coach on Sunday. The 2006 World Cup winner will hope to lead the struggling Squadra Azzurra to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 'Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football,' Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina said in a statement. 'The blue jersey is like a second skin for him.' Former midfielder Gattuso, who was known during his playing career for his aggressive style of play, succeeds Luciano Spalletti after leaving as coach of Hadjuk Split earlier this month. Spalletti had been on the bench for Italy's recent 2-0 victory against Moldova, but his departure had already been decided beforehand after a run of bad results. Gianluigi Buffon, Gattuso's former team-mate from the 2006 World Cup and now the national team's coordinator, has described the appointment as 'the best possible choice.' Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022. The team sit in third place in Group I of the 2026 qualifiers with only three points, trailing Norway (12 points) and Israel (6 points), though both have played more matches. Only the group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, while the runners-up enter the play-offs. Gattuso's unveiling as the new national coach is scheduled for Thursday in Rome. Gravina emphasized the importance of the coming months, saying: 'His motivation, professionalism and experience will be fundamental in tackling the national team's upcoming challenges. I am fully aware of the significance of the goal we want to achieve.' The 47-year-old Gattuso previously managed AC Milan, Napoli, Valencia and Olympique Marseille. The length of his contract as Italy coach remains unclear.
