Italy's new coach Gennaro Gattuso on Thursday pledged to restore enthusiasm and create "a family" at the battered national team, aiming to secure qualification for the next World Cup after the Azzurri missed out twice in a row.
Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked this month following a 3-0 defeat by Norway in a World Cup qualifier. He officially departed after overseeing his final match, a 2-0 victory against Moldova.
"It's a dream come true, and I certainly hope to be up to the task. I know the job won't be easy, but nothing in life is easy," said Gattuso, who recently left Croatian club Hajduk Split after a third-placed finish in the country's top flight.
Nicknamed 'Ringhio' (Growler) for his tenacious attitude on the pitch, the 47-year-old earned 73 caps for the Italian national team and was a key member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad.
Fans hope his strong character can help with the task of taking the four-time world champions to next year's World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Italy, third in World Cup qualifying Group I, will host Estonia on September 5 before taking on Israel three days later.
"My goal is that whoever comes to the training ground comes with great enthusiasm and to create a family," said Gattuso, who according to a source at the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) was given a one-year contract.
Gattuso spent the bulk of his playing career at AC Milan, where he won two Champions League and two Serie A titles, before returning to coach the club from 2017 to 2019. As a manager he won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020.
"The primary aim is to create a sense of belonging" to the Azzurri team, Gattuso told reporters during his presentation to the press at a luxury hotel in central Rome.
The new coach said he believed players felt the pressure of having missed out on qualification for two World Cups in a row and that was weighing on the team's performance.
"We must be good at reacting, only those who react and give it all can get out of this situation," he said.