Prandelli laments lack of emerging Italian talent

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli on Monday expressed concern at the lack of sufficiently talented young Italian players in Serie A.

“The championship is rich (with good players) but poor with what I’m looking for,” said Prandelli, who was speaking at Italy’s Coverciano national coaching centre near Florence.

“I’m not disappointed, but I was expecting a little bit more. I still don’t see young players with the potential to become stars. I hope that in five or six months, the championship will give me them.”

Prandelli’s lack of options at full-back were demonstrated when he recalled Milan’s 33-year-old Gianluca Zambrotta, who had not been selected in the squad for Italy’s opening two Euro 2012 qualifying matches.

“It’s not a step backwards,” explained Prandelli.

“My project is still going forwards, but if I haven’t got a young, promising player, I adapt. Instead of calling up a 28-year-old with little international experience, I called up Zambrotta, who has almost 100 caps (97), is in shape and is still motivated.”

Meanwhile Prandelli confirmed that Fiorentina striker Alberto Gilardino and Parma defender Luca Antonelli will both miss the ties against Northern Ireland and Serbia because of injury.

Gilardino, 28, is suffering a left knee problem and will be sidelined for two weeks, while 23-year-old Antonelli has a bruised toe.

Italy currently top Euro 2012 qualifying Group C with six points.

They face Northern Ireland in Belfast on October 8 and confront Serbia in Genoa four days later.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Antonio Mirante (Parma), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna)

Defenders: Cristian Molinaro (VfB Stuttgart), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Cesare Bovo (Palermo), Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria), Criscito (Genoa), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Stefano Mauri (Lazio), Simone Pepe (Juventus)

Strikers: Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria), Sergio Floccari (Lazio), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal/ESP), Marco Borriello (AS Rome)