Prandelli's future does not depend on Euro 2012

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was given a big vote of confidence on Monday when he was told his future does not depend on how his side do at Euro 2012. "The outcome of the European championships is not a factor for Prandelli's continuation in the job," Giancarlo Abete, the head of the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC), told a press conference presenting Prandelli's preliminary 32-man squad for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Abete was speaking after Prandelli had said he accepted that his job would be on the line if the Azzurri failed at Euro 2012. "I have a contract with the national team until 2014 and I want to respect it," he said. "But after the European championships I'll be judged on the basis of results like all coaches are". Prandelli's preliminary squad featured a few surprises, including four uncapped players. They are three midfielders, Atalanta's Ezequiel Schelotto, newly crowned Serie A champions Juventus's Emanuele Giaccherini and Marco Verratti, who plays in Serie B for Pescara, and Siena forward Mattia Destro. Veteran striker Antonio Di Natale, whose last Italy appearance was at the 2010 World Cup, was called up too. The 34-year-old was Serie A's top scorer in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons and he notched his 23rd goal of the current campaign to help Udinese beat Catania 2-0 on Sunday and clinch third place, which qualifies them for the Champions League preliminaries. Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli was also in the squad despite a long series of disciplinary problems. So was AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano, who only recently returned after having an operation in October on a heart defect that caused him to have a minor stroke. Prandelli last week said his squad was 50% weaker than during the Azzurri's impressive Euro 2012 qualification campaign because of injuries, above all the knee problem suffered by Villarreal forward Giuseppe Rossi, and several players losing their places with the clubs. Italy are in the same group as European and world champions Spain, Croatia and the Ireland team of former Azzurri boss Giovanni Trapattoni at Euro 2012. They will play friendlies against Luxembourg and Russia before the tournament starts on June 8. Italy have won the European championships once, in 1968. The final 23-man squad will be announced on May 29. Preliminary squad. Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain), Emiliano Viviano (Palermo). Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Salvatore Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorigo Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit San Petersburg), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter). Midfielders: Luca Cigarini (Atalanta), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain), Antonio Nocerino (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Ezequiel Schelotto (Atalanta), Marco Verratti (Pescara). Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Fabio Borini (AS Roma), Antonio Cassano (Milan), Mattia Destro (Siena), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)