Italy FA President Tavecchio: 'I hope Claudio Ranieri can win the World Cup as Italy NT coach one day'
“I hope Ranieri can win the World Cup as Italy national team coach one day”, Tavecchio told journalists. “Are we interested in him? He is the one who should be interested in us, but I know he’s focused on many things right now and has a bright future ahead in his second home-town.”
The Italian gaffer was of course asked many things about Leicester’s awkward season.
“Our target was to avoid relegation at the beginning of the season. Everyone knows what happened in the end. It is not easy to win the league and it is not easy to do it in England but everything started from Cagliari. I started my career in a non professional league and I was promoted to Serie C, B and A.”
“I am happy that Conte will be coming to England, but I am sorry that he’s leaving the Italy job. I don’t see him as a competitor, because the Italian job is really appreciated abroad.”
“I had lot of dreams when I was young. AS Roma dropped me twice at the beginning of my playing career, but Helenio Herrera picked me when I was 18. I knew I wasn’t a great footballer but I did a good career.”
“I didn’t want to become a manager! I’d never thought I could do that. However, I woke up one morning and I asked myself: why not? I had some ideas and I wanted to see if I was able to transmit it to my players.”
“I am still studying and learning. When I was sacked as Greece National Team coach I decided to travel around Europe to see the way other managers were working. One always needs to be up to date with all the latest developments. Football is an amazing matter.”
“Sport should not mean making money, but it should be seen as a chance of spending time together.”
Ranieri donated a money prize to the Stefano Borgonovo Foundation. Chantal Borgonovo, Stefano’s widow was attending the event and thanked Ranieri.
“We founded this NGO in 2008 because Stefano wanted it. He thought that football can play a vital role in fighting ALS.”
“I went to visit Borgonovo twice when I was Inter’s manager”, Ranieri added.
“You couldn’t believe how much enthusiasm and power he was transmitting me, I am glad to help his foundation today.”
Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto
