BADEN, Austria - Roberto Donadoni has often been described as a diesel engine - a slow starter that accelerates deliberately but consistently, and then keeps going without failure.
Italy has mirrored its coach's personality, slowly gaining steam to squeak through to the quarter-finals of the European Championship.
A hard-nosed attacking winger during his playing days with AC Milan, Donadoni's debut as Italy coach was a 2-0 loss to Croatia in a friendly - little more than a month after Italy had won the 2006 World Cup.
The Azzurri also struggled at the start of Euro 2008 qualifying, drawing with Lithuania the night the World Cup trophy was paraded around Naples' San Paolo stadium, followed by a 3-1 loss to France. But Italy recovered to win its qualifying group and avoid the embarrassment of the team that won the 1982 World Cup and then failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championship.
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