Mancini: '4-5 years and no trophies for Klopp and Pochettino? In Italy they would have killed them'

Italy head coach Roberto Mancini has spoken to Tutti Convocati about a number of different topics, including his Italy side, Lionel Messi and the state of football management (including a comment on Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino and Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp).



"Messi? I think Messi is at the level of Maradona but in my time it was perhaps more difficult because the defenders were more grim and compared to today, there were so many more fouls.



"​Was it my choice to convene young people in a revolution? I entered a difficult situation for the national team, it was not always simple and we had to try to do something for the present and above all for the future. This made us realise that it was the right time to use some players who were not unknown; many had already been summoned to the national youth teams, it was clear that they were strong and we called them up.



"Balotelli? Well I know him too well and so I wait for him to keep improving not only in front of goal, we know that in the French championship he has qualities superior to almost all; I expect him to work on his weaknesses and when he is complete I can call him up.



"​Coaches in Italy? We know that it always exaggerates here; let's think about Pochettino: 5 years at Tottenham, he has a great team and he didn't win anything, in Italy they would have killed him! The same goes for Klopp; in Italy there are coaches who win and vencono questioned , then the Champions is never easy to win, one wins.