Cesare Prandelli under pressure ahead of Euro 2012 qualifier against Serbia (Part 1)
After a disastrous campaign at the World Cup Italy appointed Cesare Prandelli as their national team’s coach and it was thought that his appointment will bring back the glory days to the Azzuris or at least things will start moving in the right direction.
But as the Italian national side prepares for a crucial Euro 2012 qualifier against Serbia things are not looking so bright for the Italian international. His side’s drab draw last Friday against a decent but absolutely beatable Northern Ireland side, have
seen Prandelli’s misery compounded.
The media at home is not happy about their national side’s recent performances and for a team of Italy’s stature and pedigree, their recent performances are just not acceptable.
The draw in Belfast means that the daggers are drawn against the 53-year old and he now sees himself in hot water ahead of the all important clash on against Serbia on Tuesday.
Media and fans have already called for the ex-Fiorentina coach’s head but everyone is well aware of the fact that at this time of the year there are not many people available in the market to replace him. Unless Italy want to lure Sven Goran Eriksson out
of Leicester City and hand him perhaps the biggest job of his career. So it appears that Italy are stuck with Pandelli for a little while longer and that also gives the 53-year old man time to prove his doubters wrong.
But things could get much worse come Tuesday if the Azzuri fail to pull up their socks and give a performance of note in Genoa against a highly talented Serbian side.
After that game in Genoa, Italy do not have a competitive fixture until March of next year and there already are suggestions in the Italian media that Italy will be looking to appoint a new coach by December-January and if Italy fail to beat or give a highly
impressive performance against Serbia next week that may even become a necessity.
But to be honest to the coach he certainly did look like a very good choice after the national side’s mind boggling show at the World Cup, overseen by Marcello Lippi. He looked like the right man to bring calmness at the side and steady a rollicking ship
and almost as imperatively restore the public’s faith in the national side.
But so far this has not happened and Cesare finds himself in danger of losing his job.
Before his appointment as the coach of the Italian national side his only major honour in a long and not-so-distinguished career was winning the Serie B with Hellas Verona. But his six years in Florence with the Violas built his reputation in the market
where he overachieved despite the limited resources and became the longest serving manager in Fiorentina’s history without adding anything to Fiorentina’s trophy cabinet.
A line in The Guardian about Cesare Prandelli yesterday claimed that he possessed a warmth, openness and a certain charm about him that put him in stark contrast with his predecessor but in football, a nice smile will never get you anywhere and it’s a pity
that Pandelli had to learn that fact the hard way.
Good etiquettes and a humble personality are not the kind of things that are associated with an Italian too often and of course credit to Pandelli for that but it will surely not be enough to keep the man at the helm of his job if his side continues to fail
as abysmally as they have been doing so far since his appointment.
Tags: