Italy boss Antonio Conte has already grown frustrated by the problems a national team coach has to face.

The former Juventus tactician has steered Italy to five wins and a draw since replacing Cesare Prandelli after the Azzurri’s first-round exit at the World Cup in Brazil, yet all is clearly not well.

Conte is angry over the lack of support for the national team and also agitated by persistent questions about Mario Balotelli’s private life.

When asked about the Liverpool striker after Tuesday’s international friendly win over Albania, Conte said to the Italian media: “Are we still talking about Balotelli?

“With all the problems that Italian football has are we still talking about whether Balotelli goes to the disco or not?

“I find it ridiculous and absurd that we are still talking about Balotelli with all the problems that we have.”

Balotelli got his first call-up under Conte last week but the former Manchester City striker was ruled out for last weekend’s Euro 2016 qualifier with a hamstring and groin problem and also missed yesterday’s game against Albania in Genoa.

I’m not so arrogant as to claim that I’m different from the great coaches, but the past tells us that they failed to change Balotelli,” he told reporters.

“It’ll be up to the player, but I don’t have much time and I need certain things.”

Conte wants to focus on rebuilding Italy after their disappointing World Cup and one aspect of his job that Conte finds more difficult to cope with is the limited time he gets to work with his players.

“As a club coach, you always think more about yourself than others,” he said.

“I find myself now on the other side, where I am limited to see my players eight or nine days a month. The next time we will meet again will be in four months’ time but yet I am demanded to do a great job, to have a big input in football.

“But allow me to be in a condition to do so because the only thing I know how to do is to work.

“This is a difficult time (for Italian football), more so than I honestly expected. I thought I would find a situation where we had a little bit more involvement from everyone.

“Instead, I have seen little availability to cooperate with the national team.”

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