Gattuso says Italy needs a different mentality to avoid missing another World Cup

ROME (AP) — Gennaro Gattuso is approaching his new job as the coach of an Italy squad in crisis with the same determination and combativeness he used to display on the field as a gritty midfielder.

Replacing the fired Luciano Spalletti, with the four-time champion Azzurri in real danger of failing to qualify for a third straight World Cup, Gattuso knows there’s no room for errors.

“I know it’s not an easy job but nothing is easy in life,” Gattuso said at his presentation Thursday. “There’s not much to say. There’s work to do.

“I need to get inside the players’ heads. I hear often that we don’t have the talent or good enough players anymore. But I think we have the players. We just need to put the players in condition to succeed. We need to get Italy back to the World Cup. That’s fundamental.”

Spalletti was fired after Italy lost its opening qualifier 3-0 at Norway. The Azzurri are already nine points behind Norway in their World Cup qualifying group — albeit having played two matches fewer than the leader.

Gattuso’s debut will be at home to Estonia on Sept. 5. Israel is also in the five-team Group I.

Italy hosts Norway in the final round on Nov. 16. Only the group winner advances directly to next year’s tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The runner-up enters playoff brackets to be played next March.

That was the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.

But Italy’s struggles go back further, with the Azzurri having failed to advance past the group phase at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Gattuso, however, remains identified as one of the main catalysts of its run to the title in 2006.

“He responded without any hesitation to our call and with the same enthusiasm as when he was called up as a player to the national team,” Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina said.

“And not simply enthusiasm. It’s really a lot more: great spirit of sacrifice, great professionalism and diligence. He told me right away that nobody wins alone, that you win as a squad and a group.”

New rules for injured players

Gattuso said he wants to set a new standard of dedication whereby even injured players remain at the national team’s training center.

“We have plenty of physical therapists and medical staff,” Gattuso said. “If I had listened to my body, I would have played 50 fewer matches. We need to go beyond our limits.”

Chiesa and Acerbi

Gattuso said he had already made calls to 35 players, including Federico Chiesa.

Chiesa was a standout on the Italy team that won the European Championship in 2021 but hasn’t played much since leaving Juventus for Liverpool last year.

“I told Chiesa that he needs to find a way to play more regularly,” Gattuso said.

One player who Gattuso did not call was 37-year-old defender Francesco Acerbi, who turned down his call up for the Norway match, where he was expected to mark Erling Haaland.

“I respect him,” Gattuso said. “But I called other, younger players who I think can offer us something.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer