Paolo Mandini comments on lack of opportunities for the country’s youngsters

In Paolo Mandini’s eyes, what is not letting the Italian Football develop much is a lack of opportunities for the country’s youngsters in the country’s domestic league.

Mandini concedes that the other European nations who have gone the distance in the past two three major competitions are the ones who have their youngsters playing in their top division.

As per Mandini, the fact that the junior team of Italy made the finals in the continental championships and the senior team did decently well too show that the Italian Football is not at its worst currently. But, the juniors are not able to graduate.

Mandini was quoted saying, “I can’t say we have a dearth of talent because our results at the junior and senior level don’t suggest that, but, then the youngsters have also got to be prepared to replace the seniors when the time comes and for them to be prepared, they have got to be playing in our top flight which they aren’t. If you take the case of Germany or Spain, their youngsters are not deprived of the opportunities in their leagues.”

Mandini, who for 7 years after his retirement kept the record of Azzurri’s most capped player before he was left behind by Cannavaro, has been seen as a candidate for a top job at the solitary club he wore the shirt of which is Milan.

On asked of that, the 48-year old said, “I hear such speculations every summer. So, I sort of knew this question was going to pop up at some point. You know, for me, the life outside the game is pretty stuffed up and although, Milan is a part of my heart, any kind of professional relationship is not on the cards right now.”