Luciano Spalletti Exits, Warns that Italy is Not Prepared for His Successor

Luciano Spalletti took the reins of the Italian national team for the final time on Monday, and while his squad secured a victory to bid him farewell, the dismissed manager acknowledged that he’s leaving the team in a less than ideal state for his successor and admits to falling short in his efforts to elevate their performance.

Spalletti paid the ultimate price for a 3-0 thrashing in Norway last Friday, which severely hampered Italy’s World Cup qualifying quest right from their opening match. An uninspired 2-0 victory at home over Moldova was not the send-off he had envisioned.

“I’m disappointed with the outcome,” Spalletti remarked during his final press conference.

“I cannot hand over a great national team to those who follow me, as we didn’t deliver a commendable performance tonight either. I was given the chance to coach, I made attempts, I made errors, and I even ventured into some untested strategies.”

“I strive to learn from everything I undertake; I don’t presume to be the most knowledgeable. I have not succeeded in bringing out the best in these players, and I must acknowledge that.”

Spalletti announced his own dismissal just before the Moldova match, following a stint of less than two years that included a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign. While resigning was never on his mind, he recognised that he has not been able to turn things around.

“When you agree to coach the national team, as I did, you must find solutions. You can’t simply excuse your shortcomings by claiming a lack of players; that’s when you start to make excuses,” Spalletti commented.

“I have not performed well, and in some respects, it is appropriate for me to step away. However, I did not resign because I believe I can achieve better outcomes. But, when I am informed that I am no longer the right person for the job, then I will sign the termination of the contract.”

“I leave the national team in the same condition I found it, exactly as it is.”

Italy has yet to announce Spalletti’s successor, with Claudio Ranieri reportedly the frontrunner. When asked if he had any counsel for his eventual replacement, Spalletti responded:

“I attempted to shake things up upon my arrival, but perhaps it led to worse results than we anticipated,” he shared.

“You only come to realise whether your decisions were right or wrong in hindsight. I tried new approaches and put in considerable effort.

“I wish the federation and the new coach all the best as they take on this challenge.”