Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has hit back at his critics for the first since he resigned from his post in the wake of a dismal World Cup campaign.
The 56-year-old resigned immediately after Italy were knocked out in Brazil and was soon after confirmed as Roberto Mancini’s successor at Galatasary, leading some to criticise him for fleeing Italy before a World Cup post-mortem could properly be conducted.
“The attacks made against me have been cruel, but I do not have to feel like a victim,” Prandelli told the Corriere della Sera.
“From one to ten, the stress for the World Cup adventure was more than then. I’m not talking about professional stress, and there was some harsh criticism.
“But when I read and hear some personal attacks, I was hurt most by accusations of escaping. The idea that I had escaped. That’s not true,” he said.
Prandelli claimed that Italy were not decisive enough against Costa Rica, despite having Mario Balotelli, Alessio Cerci, Lorenzo Insigne and Antonio Cassano on the pitch at some stage during the match. He also lamented the fact that several Italian players were not based in Serie A, suggesting that the progression of Uruguay and Costa Rica past Group D was largely down to a squad built on players based in their own country.
“I had a physical need to put on my shoes and return to the field,” he continued. “When you fall off a bicycle you must get back on it immediately.
“The people who love me saw me in a comatose state. I owed it to them. I’m going to do my job. It’s a challenge, I will have to get back into the game.
“The national team is still afloat and will recover. The players can redeem themselves, but my time with the Azzurri has gone.”
