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Italian national team coach Roberto Donadoni admitted that he considered the possibility of stepping down from his position after a disappointing start to the 2008 European Championship qualifying matches, while four players who became world champions in the summer returned to the coach-declared new team lineup.
After their stunning success in Germany, the new start of the qualification cycle for "Squadra Azzurra" began unsuccessfully - the Italians played a draw at home against Lithuania and lost 1-3 to France in a World Cup rematch in Paris. Because of these results, R. Donadoni had to withstand criticism and now the coach admitted that he was ready to resign from his position.
"I spoke with CONI (Olympic Committee - ed. note) President Gianni Petrucci and told him that I was prepared to resign, but he explained his ideas and in the end we agreed on future plans. There were also rumors that I could be fired, but I have to admit that I felt full support from the Federation - it made me happy and motivated me even more. We know that on Saturday we have to give everything we have and stay focused, as these are crucial matches and we must win," said R. Donadoni from the Coverciano training base, where the Italian national team gathered to prepare for the Saturday match against Ukraine at Rome's Olympic Stadium.
In the lineup for the matches against Ukraine and Georgia, R. Donadoni did not include attackers Alberto Gilardino and Antonio Cassano, who have not shown their best form in their clubs recently, but brought back other forwards Luca Toni and Alessandro Del Piero, as well as two more world champions - Vincenzo Iaquinta and Marco Materazzi, whose suspension for a clash with Zinedine Zidane in the World Cup final has ended.
The only new face in the team is Lazio's defender Stefano Mauri, Udinese players David Di Michele, Antonio Di Natale, and Sampdoria's Gennaro Del Vecchio retained their places in the team, while Inter Milan's defender Fabio Grosso will not be able to help the Italians due to injury. When asked about the theory that former Roma forward A. Cassano may not have been invited to the team because he is not popular in the Italian capital, where the match will take place, the coach denied such rumors.
"Cassano was not invited for other reasons. People can interpret my invitations however they want. I can take a step back or sideways, but my decisions are made based on form, and therefore I made the decision late last night (on Saturday - ed. note). However, no one was excluded, the doors to the national team are always open," said R. Donadoni.
Italian national team lineup for the matches against Ukraine and Georgia
Goalkeepers: Christian Abbiati (Torino), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Gianluigi Buffon (Turin Juventus)
Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Marco Materazzi (Milan Inter), Alessandro Nesta (Milan), Massimo Oddo (Lazio Roma), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Cristian Zaccardo (Palermo), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona)
Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Gennaro Del Vecchio (Sampdoria Genoa), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Stefano Mauri (Lazio), Simone Perrotta (Roma), Andrea Pirlo (Milan)
Forwards: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), David Di Michele (Palermo), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Udinese), Fillipo Inzaghi (Milan), Luca Toni (Fiorentina)
