Speaking at his first press conference since returning to the ‘Azzurra’ on Monday, Italy manager Roberto Mancini vowed to win over those who feel betrayed and restore the national side to their rightful place through “playing well and dominating”.
“I feel indebted; I want to win back those who feel betrayed: I want to win,” declared Mancini from Coverciano, where the squad are stepping up preparations ahead of Friday’s UEFA Nations League encounter with Belgium.
“If a supporter feels betrayed, it is understandable that they are upset. To win them back, we have to do things properly and restore Italy to where they belong,” he insisted. Mancini struck an optimistic note about his second spell, asserting his hunger for the upcoming cycle: “I am convinced we will achieve something over the next four years. I never set out to lose.”
“My ambition is to build a side that dominates, plays attractive football, and always gives their absolute all. You cannot always win, but we will take to the pitch aiming to do just that,” he explained.
This new era begins straight away with competitive fixtures and no warm-up friendlies, prompting the manager to stress the need to accelerate the process to “quickly understand” the squad at his disposal. Mancini also reflected on the emotion of taking the reins of the ‘Azzurra’ once again after three years away. “When I came back, I was thrilled. We shared some wonderful moments together,” the tactician recalled.
