Italy's Euro 2008 squad have rallied round under-fire coach Roberto Donadoni ahead of Friday's must-win match against Romania.
The players on Wednesday defended Donadoni, who caught heavy flak for Monday's 3-0 defeat to Netherlands.
Flanker Gianluca Zambrotta said they would be ''giving their all'' for the coach.
He dismissed speculation the squad couldn't wait to be back under the wing of Germany 2006 winner Marcello Lippi.
''None of us has ever thought about the return of another coach. We're with (Donadoni) and we'll carry on along the same path,'' the Barcelona right back said.
Left back Fabio Grosso, who is tipped to start against Romania after impressing as substitute against Holland, slammed the Italian media's ''superfluous and useless'' criticism - including the old chestnut, dusted off this week, that they were ''like spoiled kids''.
Grosso, who has played for French champions Lyon since last summer, said he'd forgotten how unforgiving the Italian press could be.
''I'm not used to it any more,'' he said.
Centre forward Luca Toni said that if the Netherlands match was played again ''it would never end up 3-0 for them''.
''I didn't see such a big difference in quality on the field,'' he said, noting that Italy upped their game in the second half after Donadoni pushed the team forward.
Toni denied that Donadoni's so-called 'strategy of tension' of only telling squad members they were in the team shortly before the match might be unsettling players.
''The important thing is the work we do in the days before the game; it doesn't matter if you only find out you're playing at the last minute''.
''I can't wait to face the Romanians,'' Toni added.
According to a Sky poll out Wednesday, 57% of Italians blame Donadoni for Italy's defeat.
In an interview to be published Thursday by German newsweekly Stern, Lippi says the Dutch win ''certainly wasn't nice to watch'' but insists Italy is on a par with favourites like Germany and Portugal.
''I'm not saying Italy is going to end up winning it but I think no team is really stronger than that of my successor Donadoni,'' he is quoted as saying.
Both Friday's date with the Romanians and Tuesday's last 'Group of Death' match against France are now encounters the world champions must win.
Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu said Romania would be ''more aggressive'' against Italy after their 'catenaccio'-like display in Monday's goalless draw against France.
The Italian press think Donadoni will bring in Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi against the Romanians and hand a start to Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero, who like Grosso did well as sub against the Dutch.
