March 25 (Reuters) - Italy's failure to develop and trust young players lies at the heart of a 20-year decline, 2006 World Cup winners Massimo Oddo and Marco Amelia told Reuters, as the Azzurri head into another playoff at risk of missing a third successive finals.
After lifting the trophy 20 years ago, Italy crashed out at the group stage in the next two editions, winning just one game. They have since missed the last two World Cups, losing out in the playoffs.
Former goalkeeper Amelia says those results were not isolated setbacks.
"The victory in 2006 covered and hid the limits that the national system already had in terms of structures and preparation," Amelia said.
"We didn't put enough faith in promising young players, and clubs invested too little in long-term planning.
"In Serie A there's a very high percentage of foreign players. The only way to change this is for clubs to invest more in young Italians, knowing that some of those investments might fail."
According to former defender Oddo, Italian football has been left behind.
"Other leagues have overtaken Serie A, due to economic and infrastructural factors," Oddo said.
"Before, Italian players never went abroad. Now they do, and mediocre players arrive in Italy, taking space away from Italians. Italian football should modernise the youth sector, because the talent exists, but is not well supported."
Oddo, now coach of AC Milan's reserve team, believes a complete mentality shift is needed.
"Much more should be invested in those who are called coaches, and turn them into educators," he said.
"You have to focus a lot on the individual growth of the boys, not so much on results. Today, the coach is questioned even in the youth sector. Everyone expects results, and if results don't come, the coach is replaced.
"Where this kind of problem exists, the coach ends up playing the boy who is perhaps readier, but who has less long-term potential."
A FALSE DAWN
Italy's Euro 2020 triumph briefly masked deeper problems.
"At both the World Cup and Euros we won, Italy did what it had to do, relying on a strong defensive unit," Oddo said.
"(Alessandro) Nesta, (Marco) Materazzi, (Gianluca) Zambrotta in 2006, (Giorgio) Chiellini and (Leonardo) Bonucci at the Euros.
"And the great defenders we once had - I believe Chiellini was the last truly great Italian defender - no longer exist."
Amelia agreed that the Euros were not a turning point, pointing to the current qualifying campaign that included two heavy defeats by Norway and left Italy as group runners-up.
"Italy won the Euros playing a more modern football, but also relying on what has always been our DNA - the ability to defend well," he said.
"In qualifying we conceded too much. Now we need to think about results, and results come from teams that know how to defend well and make the most of their attacking qualities."
Italy's only previous failure to reach a World Cup before this barren spell came in 1958, when they finished behind Northern Ireland in their qualifying group.
On Thursday they face the same opponent in a playoff semi-final in Bergamo, with the winners travelling to meet Wales or Bosnia & Herzegovina for a place at the finals.
"Failing to qualify for the World Cup would be an enormous blow, above all on an economic level," Oddo said.
"Also for everything around football, the media, the fans. This lack of results at international level dents the enthusiasm of the fans, which is fading, that's the harsh reality."
Amelia believes the outcome of the playoff should not distract from the wider issues.
"Not qualifying wouldn't be a disaster," he said.
"It would simply be a reality that needs to be analysed properly, because even if we do qualify, the problems of Italian football remain the same."
(Reporting by Trevor StynesEditing by Christian Radnedge)
