Since that Lippi 2006 team, italy is in the shadows.
Tghose were like the last bastion before calciopoli destroyed everything.
Now the league is poor and the quality in players have deemed.
Still that is not an excuse.
Ill blame this also on prandelli for over relying on Balotelli, leaving Rossi out, doing weird as fuck substitutions vs uruguay and using overdefending tactics against Costa Rica. Not to mention Picking rejects liek Parolo, Tmotta and desiglio.
I dont think he is a bad manager and he even could continue the project... but the mistakes i mentioned above destroyed Italys world cup run.
But yes, also the players need to take some blame.. because mistakes liek the one marchisio did, and Balotelli's inmaturity shown game after game cannot be accepted.