De Biasi: “I was convinced I would be the national team manager in 2016”

"If I’d wanted an easy ride in the world of football, all I’d had to do was join a big club, and that would’ve been that… To stay true to my principles, I chose not to take the easy way out, but to climb the mountain with an ice axe."

"Gattuso is a genuine bloke who has gained a wide range of experience over the years. Today, he and his staff are facing a challenge, and it’s one with no room for error. Apart from Riccio, I believe this is the first time the rest of the staff have worked together, and we hope everything goes smoothly. After all, it’s in difficult times that you have to try to give your best. He has a huge responsibility on his shoulders. He’s a manager who has worked his way up the ranks, even if perhaps he hasn’t been lucky in some circumstances; yet he’s faced it with pride, drawing on all his Calabrian pride and stubbornness. To be honest, he could well have been the manager. He could have been a good fit because he’s someone who has lived in that environment, he knows all the dynamics surrounding the national team; it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come along very often, so he seized it."

"Yes, I was convinced I would be the national team manager in 2016. Then, unexpectedly, Ventura pipped me to the post – though I did share some pleasant moments over a meal with him. I had several telephone and face-to-face meetings with the Italian Football Federation, who were looking for a replacement for Antonio Conte, who had announced that he would be joining Chelsea after the European Championships in France. On the contrary, I didn’t want any fuss surrounding this situation, because if I’d gone to the Euros as a candidate, I’d have lost a lot of credibility with my players. That’s precisely why I always made sure everything remained strictly confidential. Then suddenly they chose and announced Ventura, who had left Torino. In any case, this episode left me feeling absolutely gutted and I cut off all contact. I was gutted because I’d had a long interview and thought my candidacy was a done deal.”