Spaletti: Gattuso can advance to the World Cup, Napoli & Milan s two big shots & Juventus Serie A championship

In an interview, former Italian national team coach Spaletti talked about topics such as his dismissal of the national team, the new coach Gattuso, and the situation in the new Serie A season.

What do you think about your experience in the Italian national team being dismissed?

Unfortunately, this matter will never pass, and I will never forget it, because I always act on my feelings. To me, coaching the national team is like being in heaven. I've been doing all my strength, but I can do almost nothing, and I'm sorry for those who expect better results and work progress, and I'm responsible for what's happening because I haven't been able to do it. The Italian Football Association is very supportive and gives me the opportunity to work in the best way, but unfortunately things end up like this. I want to emphasize again that this matter will not pass easily and will continue to affect me.

What is the current level of Italian football? Are we really declining?

In my opinion, it is definitely not, and it is also because of what we showed in the European competition. I chose those players, and if I do it again, I will choose them, and they must have the confidence to know that they are strong players. I know all of their characteristics and I can say I have a strong national team. Now I will be curiously following the players Gattuso calls out and I wish him good luck. Anyway, I always say that football is simple, but you have to spend time on it. Indeed, when it comes to coaching the national team, time is sometimes a luxury, but you have to try to build a good relationship with the players. In fact, every time we win the championship it’s because of a relationship between the coach and the players, but this time I failed to let the players feel the love I care for them.

Can Gattuso lead the Italian national team to the World Cup?

Yes, he will do it successfully. I talked to him because he called me and we joked with each other and we respected each other very much. He is passionate and devotes a lot of time to the work he does. I want to wish him good luck.

What do you think about the Serie A situation in the new season?

I think the final championship is still the traditional strong teams, namely Naples, Inter Milan, Milan, and Juventus, although I hope Roma and Lazio can also join the ranks of competitors. I was so happy to see Surrey and Allegri return to the coaching table and I admire them very much. In addition, I am also curious about how Gasperini will perform in Rome. Not only did Naples win the Serie A title, it also laid the foundation for future development, the club is working well, and I think they have a slight advantage over other teams. However, many situations may change.

What will your personal future be like?

I am absolutely calm now, waiting for what will happen in the future. Considering what happened in the past and some bad impressions I made, I think something amazing will come next. I need to recreate a kind atmosphere, keep close relationships with my players and get a good result because that is the most important thing in football. I also learned new things from some new coaches. Football is simple, but the simplest thing is the starting point, not the end point.

What young players will you call into the Italian national team?

I have called some people, like Leoni. I also watched Pio Esposito's game, which made me hope for the future. As the head coach of the national team, one of my regrets is that I have never recruited any players from the Serie B team. If I could do it again, I would consider selecting some players from Serie B.

Retgi transferred to the Saudi league this summer. If it were you, would he still call him into the Italian national team?

We must now be open to everything, because we cannot exclude anything. There are not many players available for selection now. In the past, the Italian national team could choose from 500 players, but now they can only choose from 50 players. Therefore, we cannot exclude certain players from the national team because they have made special choices.