Prandelli fights to retain smile ahead of decider

Cesare Prandelli has no difficulty with criticism after a game.

Managers expect that. What he cannot get his head around is the criticism that invariably comes his way beforehand. But such is life for those men who agree to coach the Azzurri.

His team have surpassed all expectations with the manner in which they have played against both Spain and Croatia yet they enter the third round of group games with just two points to their credit and knowing that even a win against the Republic of Ireland may not suffice to extend their stay in Poland.

The Italians approached Euro 2012 on an abysmal run of form that troughed with a 3-0 friendly defeat to Russia. Prandelli had seen enough. The 4-3-1-2 formation was out. In came a 3-5-2 in its stead but the expectation is that he will revert to type here tonight.

The Italian media don’t seem all that perturbed by that. What they do have a problem with — strangely — is Prandelli’s refusal to admit as much to them. If so, then it’s no wonder the former Juventus and Atalanta player is miffed.

“I won’t tell you before a game how I will start,” the coach protested. “Let me have an advantage. It might not even be an advantage. I just prepare sessions and games so we can have a slight advantage. It is not that we don’t have respect. We are all together, all part of Italy, so sometimes it is strange when I hear stuff about, ‘you are hiding stuff from us’.

“It is not that important. Formation is not huge. Everyone needs to play with heart and get victory. Of course there are times when we will be criticised but it often happens that I will be criticised before a game so it is quite hard to remain calm when this happens. We have the means and quality at our disposal to win this game.”

The expectation is that Federico Balzaretti and Ignazio Abate will come in to the new defence for Emanuele Giaccherini and Christian Maggio, that Antonio Di Natale will replace Mario Balotelli up front and Daniele De Rossi will vacate the back line for his more accustomed midfield role.

Four at the back would certainly make some sense against an Irish side which depends on its wingers for so much of its attacking threat but Prandelli has dismissed the significance of such tinkering by stating that Italy could switch freely from one mode to another during a game.

It was an engaging performance from the former Fiorentina coach who admitted tonight is the most important game in his career thus far and yet he continues to scoff at the weight of it all by insisting football needs to be approached with a smile.

Whether that smile is still there after tonight, or on July 1 when the final is being played in Kiev, is another thing but he refuses to speculate about his own future beyond that. Prandelli says that if you get ahead of yourself, you trip yourself up.

It’s a good motto, not least for the manager of a team who knows that even a win in Poznan may not be enough to send the Azzurri through to the quarter-finals. Tonight, Italy’s minds will be exercised almost as much by events in Gdansk where a 2-2 draw between Spain and Croatia would condemn his side to an early exit regardless of their efforts against the Republic.

Events in 2004, when Denmark and Sweden succeeded in securing the 2-2 scoreline that sent them through and Trapattoni’s Italy out of this same competition, understandably continue to haunt a nation which has come to know its fair share about suspicions of collusion and similar nefarious practises but not their manager, apparently.

“Three days ago I said that it all depends on us and that I would prepare solely focused on our result. I am not really concerned about what everyone else is saying. I am concentrating on this. And anyway, I am convinced we have the means at our disposal to go and win the game.”