Prandelli is the 'future' of Italy

WHILE SLAVEN Bilic confirmed yesterday that he will be moving on to coach Lokomotiv Moscow after the European Championships, the Italian Federation has insisted that it will be sticking with Cesare Prandelli for the second half of his four-year deal regardless of how the team get on in Poland next month.

Bilic has repeatedly been linked with a move into club management not least because of the prospect such a move would offer to vastly increase his salary. Sure enough, the 43-year-old is reported to have struck a deal worth €3 million a year with Lokomotiv, more than 10 times what he gets at present, in order to leave behind an increasingly hostile press and head east.

Prandelli, on the other hand, is said to be staying put, with Italian Federation President Giancarlo Abete insisting that: “Cesare is the future of this national side. We want to continue the four-year project. Nothing connected with the team’s performance at the European Championship will cause us to change our minds.”

Prandelli insists Italy will head to Poland with their eyes firmly fixed on the ultimate prize and there will be no revising downwards after what promises to be a challenging opener against Spain.

“Any coach at the starting line of a competition will tell you that he’s going all the way and will win,” he said. “Then maybe once he’s got underway, he’ll realise his expectations were too high. But I’m not one to aim low. The idea is to go there and win it.”

The coach claimed that Juve’s success in the title race vindicated his decision over the last couple of years to select many of the club’s stars – he named seven in his squad of 32 on Sunday – and expressed confidence in two of his most talked about selections, Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli.

“Antonio played last month, he’s well and very enthusiastic,” said Prandelli. “I expect him to keep this up.Balotelli hasn’t been used recently, but he has won a title and deserved to. We’d like to help him blossom and hopefully will do so during the Euros.”