Italy coach Antonio Conte has demanded that players hoping for Azzurri call-ups turn out for their clubs before he picks them for the national team.
The former Juventus coach has not recalled Mario Balotelli in his latest squad, to play Malta and Bulgaria on home soil, but has brought back Sebastian Giovinco following impressive form in the MLS with Toronto.
“I’ll be very careful who I pick, this time I kept the same group as last season but I have more respect for those who play [for their clubs], and those who do not play or only get two minutes on the pitch can not think of coming to play for Italy,” said Conte to reporters.
“For example Simone [Zaza] knows he has accepted a big challenge going to Juventus and I have kept him in the national team, but if he does not play there is a problem.
“We have four games left and have to try and win them all to finish first; we need confidence and self-esteem to grow.”
After draws with Bulgaria and Group H leaders Croatia in their last two Euro 2016 qualifiers, the Azzurri are one point behind in second and Conte also addressed criticism of Italian football from his predecessor Cesare Prandelli.
“I think [Prandelli] had four important years as Italy coach and did a great job,” the 46-year-old maintained, “and there are problems which exist, and he knows the situation better than I do.
“Now we have to work with what we have, there have been reforms but we need time to see the benefits of them.
“We should concentrate on what we have; a coach is a tailor and we have the material to make a beautiful outfit.”
