Italy interim coach Silvio Baldini won’t be in charge for long, but he’s made sure his time will be memorable.
The under-21 coach was called up after Gennaro Gattuso was sacked for failing to qualify for the World Cup.
It’s Italy’s third-straight World Cup missed, and the football association is in disarray with the director sacked and scrambling for replacement coaches.
But for Baldini, he doesn’t see things changing due to his fellow coaches in the league.
“Italian football is in the hands of managers who think about their own interests and not the growth of the game,” he said ahead of a pair of June friendlies.
“They focus on trading with older players and not with young players because this helps them further their own interests.
“I must not hide it, these are things I have always said. I call some people ‘swindlers’. Often they hold the reins of this game.
“Until we have serious managers it will be a problem.”
He continued: “The only way to gain experience is to get on the pitch: if a player plays little, his potential remains blocked.
“The real crucial point is not the youth national teams, which in fact achieve excellent results, but the transition to the senior national team.
“The problem does not depend on the Federation, but rather on the choices of the clubs.
“What sense does it make to sign a 39-year-old player instead of developing a young player from their own youth system? As long as the clubs Italians will not be led by far-sighted and serious management, the situation will not change.”
On top of the national team struggling, clubs aren’t much better with only one Italian team making it to the Champions League knockout rounds.
Baldini gave his take, continuing: “This approach also directly impacts the pace of play, which in Italy is too slow.
“Young players bring with them dynamism, speed, and enthusiasm; more experienced players, on the other hand, tend to manage their energy and attack their opponents less.
“Words are out there about renewal, but in reality, a style of football with tight lines and defensive density is still preferred, useful only for catching a breath.
“It’s a tactic that can suffice against mediocre opponents, but its limitations become apparent as soon as the level of competition increases.”
Finally, he gave his take on who should replace him full-time, and was equally thoughtful.
“If I had to choose, I would focus on coaches with a solid resume,” he said.
“There’s no point in mentioning unattainable names like Guardiola or Fabregas; in Italy we have so many skilled coaches, and the ones we hear about are absolutely capable of giving the team a strong identity .
“As for me, I hope whoever arrives sees me as a useful resource and not as an obstacle.”
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