"I wish him the best and if he does, I'll be rooting for him." These are Luciano Spalletti's words about Claudio Ranieri, one of the favorites to replace him as the national team's coach. Tonight, the Tuscan coach will lead Italy for the last time against Moldova (8:45 p.m.) in Reggio Emilia, then he will terminate his contract after the sensational dismissal announced yesterday . "I don't know if it will be Ranieri," Spalletti told Rai Sport. "But he is a person and a professional who has traveled the world, who is balanced and who this year with Roma showed his ability to step in and touch the right buttons. I think the FIGC knows how to choose the right person."
Yesterday, on the eve of the match, Spalletti reiterated that he was certain that Italy could go to the World Cup, despite the 3-0 defeat in Norway on Friday and the failure to qualify in 2018 and 2022. "Yes, I am super convinced," he also stressed today. " I believe that this team can reach the World Cup, there is a bad result but also the possibility of completing this discussion here ." Then he clarified: "I have not resigned, but since I have respect for the people who chose me, I am terminating my contract. This is how it is done with the national team, not with clubs."
The decision to dismiss him, which FIGC president Gabriele Gravina had not wanted to give yesterday morning despite having been taken (and communicated) on Saturday evening, was surprising in terms of timing and manner. "I don't know about the form, but I couldn't be a coach until tonight and have the communication tomorrow," explains Spalletti. "I made mistakes, it's difficult for me to evaluate what they are, but if the results are like this, it's a sign that I made them. I believed in this project and in these players, who in my opinion are strong and have also shown it in the matches."
Regardless of whether it is Ranieri or someone else (among the alternative names are Stefano Pioli and Fabio Cannavaro), Spalletti wishes the best to the next Italy coach: « I hope that the one who comes after me is a coach who can find solutions much better than me, to go to the World Cup by force . There have been players that we have never had available in this period, results that have led us to play this match in this condition and at this moment in the championship. I would have continued with these players here».
On his future, Spalletti postpones the discussions: «I don't know, I'll have to see. As the hours go by I'll work things out in my own way, I'll see. One thing I'll definitely do: root for the person who comes after me ».