Mancini: Hodgson is an English Italian
Mancini also reminded England that the foundations of this team’s success were built by his compatriot Fabio Capello and claimed that England coach Roy Hodgson is “an English Italian” in his approach to coaching.
“The best way to play England is to make the most of our characteristics: technique, speed, playing with the ball on the floor. It would be a mistake to play the English on their own ground: muscles and high balls,” said Mancini.
“It’s a balanced game. At this point of the season the players are tired and their technical qualities diminish. It’s the classic game where whoever scores first could win.”
But Mancini tipped striker Balotelli, with whom he has endured a love-hate relationship over the last two years, to make the difference. “Italy are stronger if Balotelli plays,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Look at the other evening: he came on against Ireland, gave a spark to the game and scored a splendid goal.
“I consider Mario the best Italian attacker. Cassano is a second striker. Di Natale is good but he has different characteristics to Balotelli. Mario is a champion and champions help you win.”
Mancini also felt that Hodgson’s predecessor Capello had been harshly treated by England: with current boss Hodgson taking the plaudits for England finishing top of Group D, and Wayne Rooney suggesting that Capello’s language difficulties caused issues in the dressing room.
“The English should thank Capello again,” he continued. “I don’t want to have to defend the work of an Italian colleague but it’s the simple truth: you see the mark of a great and experienced coach like Capello on this team. England are an organised team that knows what it wants. I read Rooney’s comments on Capello’s language problems. It seemed like nonsense to me: football has a universal language.”
England did beat world and European champions Spain under Capello, and followed that up with a controlled 1-0 win over Sweden at Wembley. They were Capello’s last games in charge before his shock resignation last February. And now Mancini has gone on record in suggesting that England are actually now playing like an old-fashioned Italian team. “England wait for their opponents and counter at pace. It’s the kind of football that us Italians have long been the masters at playing,” he said.
“They have understood that it’s important to win in major tournaments: if you lose the first game, you’re almost out. Knowing how to defend and not committing mistakes is the first rule. Hodgson has always been a pragmatic coach. His teams defend well. The Azzurri will have to pay attention to the English counter-attack.
“Hodgson is an English Italian. He is intelligent, clever, experienced and cunning. He has coached in many different parts of the world and his experience in Italy was certainly decisive. He is the right man to continue the work started by Capello.”
Mancini added that Hodgson’s achievement has been even more impressive following the injuries to Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry. “England had one playmaker: I’m thinking about Lampard. Let’s not forget Hodgson has lost important players like Lampard and Barry to injury.
“But not feeling the pressure on you definitely helps. From the quarter-finals onwards, things change: now they’ll get a taste for it. I know the English well. They seem detached, but on the pitch they fight to exhaustion. Character is one of their strong points.”
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