Fabio Capello, the legendary former Italy coach, gave an exclusive interview today and analyzed the reasons behind the national team's failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Capello made no secret of his disappointment with the national team's heavy defeat:
“I slept very badly last night. We've missed out on the World Cup again. Thinking that there will be 48 teams participating and we can't even get in fills me with bitterness...”
What exactly went wrong?
“This national team never convinced me from the start—too little creativity and far too many back passes to Donnarumma.”
But we still took a 1-0 lead.
“Thanks to a huge gift from the opponent, though Barella and Kean did make excellent use of that opportunity. But Italy had already suffered a lot on the flanks, and then disaster struck...”
Are you referring to Bastoni's red card?
“Of course. Donnarumma's clearance was too short, the defensive line was poorly positioned, and then Bastoni made the mistake: if you're slower, you must never tackle like that. You have to stay with the forward all the way if possible. Unfortunately, Bastoni didn't judge correctly; he wasn't clear-headed enough at that moment.”
Was it too risky to play Bastoni as the sweeper in the three-center-back system during such a difficult time?
“Such choices are always easy to comment on in hindsight. But first and foremost, I believe we need defenders who know how to defend, not just ones who look good playing.”
Are you referring to Bastoni and Calafiori?
“They are two similar players—excellent at pushing forward, but not so good when they have to take care of what's happening behind them.”
Even with ten men, Italy actually had a chance to win.
“That makes it even more painful for me. Kean had bad luck with the ball bouncing awkwardly on the turf, while Dimarco and Esposito should have done better. But if it had been 11 against 11, I think Italy would have qualified.”
After talking about the players, is Gattuso himself responsible?
“There were some substitutions I didn't agree with. I would never have taken Kean off, and I would have substituted Dimarco, who was clearly struggling, much earlier.”
Would you continue to trust Rino?
“I would think about it very calmly. Gattuso has been national team coach for less than a year. In such a short time, what he can bring to the team is values and a sense of belonging. And that is indeed visible. But leaving the coach aside, I would prefer Italy to play with a four-defender formation.”
Should the entire top management of the Italian Football Federation be dismissed?
“That enters the political realm, which is not my area...”
But as a football person, you must have your own views on what can be improved in this system, right?
“There are two levels. One starts at the grassroots, which is the youth training department, where we must once again prioritize technique over tactics. The other is at a higher level: in our clubs, even when there is talent, it often doesn't get the attention it deserves, which is caused by the short-sighted choices of coaches. Because if we look, our youth national teams have achieved good results, but later these young players struggle to establish themselves.”
Speaking of players, which players should be part of the national team's next cycle?
“We certainly have security in the goalkeeper position. Then I really like Pallestri—he played very well after coming on as a substitute in the Bosnia game; and Pisilli, whom Gattuso promoted from the U21s. Pio Esposito is already a viable option for the present, and Kean is also a reliable forward. In midfield, Locatelli has personality both on and off the pitch, while Tonali is very selfless. As I said before, we still lack some defenders who can actually defend. But our situation isn't as bad as people think, because Baldini is doing an excellent job with the U21s as well.”
