Conte: ‘Serie A has declined’

By Football Italia staff

Italy CT Antonio Conte believes “Serie A is only in fourth place” in terms of the best Leagues in the world.

The Coach won three consecutive Scudetti with Juventus, before leaving in the summer of 2014 to take over the Azzurri job.

“I think the best football is currently being played in England,” Conte told FIFA’s 1904 magazine.

“Followed by the Leagues in Spain and Germany. Serie A is only in fourth place, there are no two ways about it. It didn’t used to be that way.

“It’s not wistful, it’s just the truth. Italian football used to be in a far better state. Serie A was one of the most attractive Leagues in the world. Everybody wanted to play their football here.

“If you look at the figures from the past, it’s even clearer. When we became world champions in 2006, 66 per cent of all players in Serie A were Italian, and that figure was even higher when I was playing.

“Today that figure is only 34 per cent. Club owners are no longer prepared to invest huge sums of money in their teams. There’s simply a lack of money in Serie A.

“The national team obviously suffers as a result. There are fewer players available for selection. I’m still optimistic about the future for Serie A though, we’re on our way back to the top.

“The clubs have started to invest more in youth football again, and the FIGC has also launched good, ambitious development projects.

“We are now in a very exciting period which I would compare to where Germany were about 15 years ago, when the German Federation started setting up training centres in every region.

“We all know how well that project turned out, with Germany winning the 2014 World Cup with players who were just kids back then.”

Some of Italy’s greatest successes have come playing defensive football, but Conte isn’t keen to return to the days of catenaccio.

“Catenaccio and counter-attacking football have had their day. We have to have a rethink and move with the times.

“Football has changed dramatically, and I have a feeling that the mentality is changing in Italy. Good attacking football is all about the art of quickly switching to attack after winning the ball, but still finding the right balance between defence and attack.”

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