Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 7y

Cesare Prandelli set to be named Valencia manager

Cesare Prandelli is looking forward to seeing if his brand of football can be successful in Spain as he is set to be named the new coach of Valencia.

The former Italy manager has been in Singapore to meet with the owner of the Spanish club, Peter Lim, and sign a contract as their new coach. Once confirmed, he will take the reins of a Spanish club for the first time, and attempt to prove right those who tipped his kind of football to be a success there.

"It's always been said that my style of play is a Spanish one," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Now we will see. Their project seems serious, but please understand that I cannot say any more right now."

Prandelli, 59, has been out of work since being dismissed by Galatasaray in November 2014. During almost two years out of the game, he admits he did consider quitting for good, but he is now looking forward to a return.

"I have thought about quitting professionally several times," he said. "Not only after the national team or with Galatasaray, I thought that's enough, I'll quit. But then the passion and desire to get back in the game come back."

Not even criticism, direct or indirect, from former players has made him seriously want to quit coaching, while he says those players who said the arrival of Antonio Conte as his successor on the Italy bench had been a breath of fresh air had their reasons for saying that, and he understands why.

"This is football," he said. "If you take a look, each time somebody is sacked, the players say that the new coach works better. It's a bit down to a lack of courage and a bit a signal to say to the new coach 'You can count on me'. It's nothing scandalous.

"Just think how stupid it was [after resigning as Italy coach]. Those decisions, such as the ethical code and the idea of having wives and girlfriends with the players, were taken together, but then it was easy for everybody to blame me, [Antonio] Cassano and [Mario] Balotelli.

"But this is football. All of the good we had done over four years was forgotten because of just one game, the one against Costa Rica."

Prandelli is expected to be confirmed as Valencia's new coach once he has met with Lim. He takes over a team currently 15th in La Liga with just six points from as many games.

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