The former Italian pushes the national team in “his” Udine: “I’m optimistic. Rino is humble and is bringing the right mentality to the Italian group”
Udine, the national team and… Antonio Di Natale. Italy returns to play in Friuli, in the very modern home of Udinese, and it is impossible not to think of Totò who wrote historic pages in black and white (above all) and in blue: twice top scorer in Serie A in 2009-10 (29 goals) and in 2010-11 (28), second in the 2012 European Championships with the national team led by Cesare Prandelli. Di Natale, who turned 48 yesterday, retired in 2016, but football is still an important part of his life: since 2012 he has led the Donatello Calcio club in Udine together with his friend Simone Ronco, and last summer he became club manager of Scafatese. Naturally tonight his heart will beat for the Azzurri of former teammate Gattuso and his belief is that qualification for the next World Cup will come.
Di Natale, one year later Italy is still in Udine against Israel.
“For me it is a pleasure to see the national team in that stadium that is close to my heart. I am happy for the Pozzo family and for the fans.”
You played in Udine with the blue shirt in 2008.
“Marcello Lippi was there as coach and for me it was a great emotion. We won against Georgia and it was beautiful. Udine and Empoli are my home: in Tuscany I grew up as a footballer, while in Friuli I ended my career after twelve unforgettable years”.
If successful tonight, Donnarumma and his teammates will be sure of second place in the group, but the road to the World Cup passes through the playoffs in March.
“Against Israel we must win without even thinking about it too much. I don’t even want to consider a third failure to qualify for the World Cup: we are Italy!”.
So are you optimistic about the playoffs?
“Of course I am. Italy has a strong national team and will demonstrate it on the field.”
Well done to Gattuso for shaking up the group after a difficult moment.
“A premise, in my opinion Spalletti did a good job because he started from a difficult situation. Luciano is a great coach and has achieved excellent results throughout his career.”
“I had him as a teammate in the national team and he was a leader, a worker, a serious person and a great man. He won two Champions Leagues and a World Cup, but he always remained humble.”
As coach, what impression are you making?
“He has the winning mentality of the former world champion and there is a reason why Buffon and the Federation have placed their bets on him. He brings his all even from the bench and the team is demonstrating with the results that they follow him. He deserves great results and I wish him the best.”
From former striker to striker: were you impressed by Pio Esposito who started the season off to a great start with Inter and Italy?
“I knew him because I am a friend of the Spezia managers and I first met his brother Sebastiano when I went to watch the Bianconeri train: last year I saw Pio and it immediately seemed clear to me that he was gifted with notable technical qualities. Therefore, neither the many goals in Serie B nor the goal in Estonia on Saturday surprised me.”
He speaks of him as if he were predestined.
“He will be an important player for Italian football for the next ten to fifteen years. He is predestined because he also has the head of a champion. Talking to us he seems older than his age: he is humble, always tries to learn and is very polite.”
Who do you most resemble among the players of the past? Vieri or Toni?
“For me in Vieri even if Bobo was left-handed, while Pio is right-handed”.
In Estonia he scored a great goal.
“True, but his entire performance was convincing: he defended the ball, got the team moving forward and moved a lot. He’s someone who knows how to play football, it doesn’t take much to understand that.”
Kean, Retegui, Esposito, Raspadori, but also Lucca, Scamacca and in the future also Camarda: we have plenty up front after we seemed to be without a bomber jacket for a few years.
“Great players have always been born in Italy and we have often had plenty in all roles. However, it is important to raise our kids in football schools, make them work on technique. Talent must be cultivated.”
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED