Gattuso says Italy need different mentality to avoid missing another World Cup

ROME, Italy:

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 champions 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 on 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 any more. 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 their 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 leaders.

DEBUT

Gattuso's debut will be at home to Estonia on September 5. Israel are also in the five-team Group I.

Italy host Norway in the final round on November 16. Only the group winner advances directly to next year's tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The runners-up enter play-off brackets to be played next March.

That was the stage where Italy were 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 their 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

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

"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."

- AP