New Italy coach Giampiero Ventura has said everyone, young or old, will have the opportunity to fight for their place in the Azzurri squad.
The former Torino boss has taken over from Antonio Conte on the Italy bench, after he left to join Chelsea following the conclusion of the Azzurri’s Euro 2016 campaign.
“I am proud to have been chosen to represent one of the most important nations from a football point of view,” Ventura opened with when talking to the press.
Discussing his policy when choosing members of the Italy squad, the 68-year-old claimed he would not ignore the talent of the Italian youth ranks.
“I have always been a supporter of young players, the objective is to give them a chance to shine and show their quality,” he said.
However, Ventura will also use history to choose which players have a solid place in the lineup, using Euro 2016 as a base for some of the players he will pick, but it won’t be limited by past performances.
“I believe that the 23 players at the European Championship, for what they gave to the project, their commitment and their availability, are people who I will keep in the squad and who I will respect,” he said.
“Then there will be many others, here there is room for everyone.”
Following the big-money transfer of Graziano Pelle to Chinese club Shandong Luneng, Ventura said he, like many other players, must maintain their desire to play for the national squad or risk missing the cut.
“It is evident that a player who makes this type of choice must then have a strong character to maintain a certain hunger and desire,” he said.
It was also inevitable that questions would be raised concerning Mario Balotelli, and Ventura would like to start fresh with the the former AC Milan striker, seeing him no different to anyone else.
“He is like all the others, there will be zero bias against him,” he said.
“As always I speak of the squad, if he proves to be deserving of the call, there will not be any problems.”
Ventura’s first game as Italy boss will be against France on September 1.
