I Want A Youth Team For 2018 World Cup

 

Italy coach Giampiero Ventura says he is keen to introduce youth into an ageing Italy squad as he builds a squad for the next World Cup in 2018. Ventura, who was named the new manager of the Azzurri following the departure of Antonio Conte, is eager to provide more opportunities for younger players.

First-choice defenders Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Andrea Barzagli are all aged between 29 and 35, while veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 38, said that he plans to retire after the World Cup in Russia in two years' time.

He said “I want to find two or three opportunities to let players aged between 21-23 play in order to have a group of players ready to join the squad in two years. We start from a privileged position, while (Antonio Conte) had to build most of the organisation. Now I can dedicate 80 percent of my attention to details and 20 percent to organisation.”

Ventura had made a habit of following in Conte's footsteps, having replaced him as coach of Bari in 2009.