Euro Qualifier: Scotland - Italy 17/11/07 - Page 9 - TalkSoccer

**D-Kin** · 18-11-2007, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Donadoni lets it all out Sunday 18 November, 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roberto Donadoni reveals why he went crazy in Scotland and once ‘thumped’ Christian Panucci!

Sometimes referred to as the ‘iceman’, the Italy boss is famous for rarely showing his feelings during victory or defeat, but in last night’s 2-1 win he leapt on to the pitch to celebrate with his players.

“I usually know how to hide my feelings. This time I exaggerated a little, didn’t I?” he grinned to ‘La Stampa.’

“I wanted to immediately compliment the lads before doing so in the locker room. I even got my shoes dirty!

“I hope to live through many more situations like this. As a player it was my fault, it was a mistake to hold it in, even after a great victory I’d go into the locker rooms happy, but that was it.

“In my many years in football I have never felt such joy and emotion as I did here. Perhaps because the one centre stage wasn’t me, but my players.”

The tactician’s job was on the line if he failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and Donadoni was constantly criticised by the media after taking over the 2006 World Cup squad.

In particular he was lambasted for ‘losing’ Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta to early retirement from international duty.

“I would prefer not to comment. The truth of the matter is I never had them in my squad. If someone wants to blame me, then I’ll take that, but I know how things really went and so do they.”

Perhaps Donadoni’s greatest achievement was in rediscovering Panucci, the veteran defender who had been frozen out of the Italy set-up, but brought back to score the decisive goal for Euro 2008 qualification.

“Panucci repaid my faith in him. In my choices, age does not count. Panucci could have played another half-hour on that rain-soaked pitch against Scottish players who ran their hearts out,” he said of the 34-year-old.

“The years don’t matter, what counts is your hunger for the game.”

Panucci was also Donadoni’s teammate when they were both at Milan, but he reveals it wasn’t all wine and roses!

“To be honest, when we were at Milan I thumped him over the head a few times. When there is the intelligence to understand you’ve made a mistake, you can recover any situation.”

channel4.com - Football Italia