World Cup: Italy can rebound, says its new coach, but probably not in time to reach the July 11 final

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Shaggy-haired Cesare Prandelli was installed as Italy’s new coach Thursday and vowed to ‘transform the negativity into something positive’ as he seeks to rebuild the shattered Azzurri.

The 2006 world champions were an embarrassing failure in South Africa, where they were tied by Paraguay and New Zealand and beaten by Slovakia.

Italy’s first post-World Cup match will be against the Ivory Coast in London on Aug. 10 as it prepares for the qualifying tournament for Euro 2012, to be jointly staged by Poland and Ukraine.

‘What has happened has happened,’ the former Parma, AS Roma and Fiorentina coach said. ‘I hope to organize a team based on real human values. There are difficulties, but I want to start off right, with determination and the will to do well.

‘I don’t have any recipes at the moment, just the will to start well.’

-- Grahame L. Jones in Cape Town, South Africa