Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Italy boss Giampiero Ventura to give youngsters chance to shine

Italy coach Giampiero Ventura has promised to name some fresh new faces in his first squad, saying new life needs to be breathed into the national team.

While confirming that he intends to build on the work done by predecessor Antonio Conte, Ventura said he needed to look at emerging talent ahead of the next World Cup and wanted to reduce the team's average age.

"At the end of these two years, I want to have a solid spine of youngsters between the ages of 21 and 23," he said at a news conference in Bari, where Italy will face France in a friendly in his first game in charge on Sept. 1.

"Italy has a great deal of excellent young talent and we need to put these players into a condition where they can be close to moving into the national team, like in other countries.

"Maybe we can have some training camps with our youngest players."

One of those youngsters could be AC Milan's 17-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Ventura said: "He's had a fantastic season and, if this year confirms the path he is on, then he has a bright future. He's got quality and personality."

The introduction of young players may be gradual, however, because Italy face Israel four days after the France friendly with qualifying points at stake.

"I need to have players in top condition against Israel," Ventura said. "I'm sure there will be the possibility for us to play attractive football, but I need time and that's the only thing we lack.

"We can build on a very compact group of players who are extremely willing and obliging."

With 38-year-old Gianluigi Buffon, 35-year-old Andrea Barzagli, 33-year-old Daniele De Rossi and 32-year-old Giorgio Chiellini, Italy had one of the most experienced squads at Euro 2016 but were beaten by a Germany side with one of the lowest average ages.

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