Mancini signals decisive break with past as revamped Italy gather for Nations League

ROME, Sept 21 - Roberto Mancini set a demanding tone as Italy gathered on Monday, insisting on immediate progress while mounting a strong defense of his heavily overhauled squad for his first match back as coach.

Speaking ahead of UEFA Nations League fixtures against Belgium, Turkey, and France, Mancini defended his decision to hand first call-ups to nine players while omitting experienced stalwarts of the team.

"Had I called all the experienced players, you would have said, 'always the same players,'" Mancini told reporters. "It is appropriate to get to know young players to build a strong team for the future. We needed more players than usual because we have four games and want to see them on the pitch."

"We don't know how long it will take, but we'll have to be quick in understanding the players we have and figuring out what they can give us in the future," he added.

Addressing lingering frustration over Italy's past failures, including missing out on a third consecutive World Cup this year, Mancini acknowledged fans' right to be upset but called for unity.

"The past doesn't count anymore," Mancini said. "When a fan feels betrayed, he has the right to be upset, and you have to accept it. We must do things well and bring the national team where it belongs so things will settle."

Mancini returned to the bench following a chaotic summer for the Italian football federation. He took over after Gennaro Gattuso's departure and a brief, fraught attempt to appoint Andrea Pirlo collapsed amid a fierce backlash over Pirlo's commercial ties to a Russian betting company. The situation got newly elected Italian football federation (FIGC) President Giovanni Malago off to a rocky start, but Mancini dismissed any sense of internal pressure ahead of Friday's opener in Rome against Belgium.

"The president is calm, so we must think about our job, do well and win the first game against Belgium, which won't be so easy," Mancini noted. "We must think about our duties."

The FIGC confirmed squad adjustments as Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Aston Villa's Matteo Ruggeri, following the earlier replacement of AS Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante by Como's Samuele Ricci. REUTERS