Roberto Mancini Italy return will have a decisive impact on the direction of the Italian squad, as the veteran manager is expected to lead the team for a second stint after the Italian Football Federation has decided on their own.
Mancini will replace Gennaro Gattuso, whose departure from the job came after Italy failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup back in April. The knockout to Bosnia-Herzegovina was the third straight time the four-time world champions were unable to get to the biggest game in football, further pressuring federation leaders to take action.
According to an Italian report, FIGC President Giovanni Malago confirmed the appointment in a meeting at the Federal Council, saying nothing more than: “Mancini is the coach.” This is an obvious institutional preference in the wake of a turbulent period in Italy’s football ministry.
Mancini, 61, is a former coach of Italy, who won the UEFA Euro 2020, and brought back tactical clarity and modern, possession-based football. It is believed that his first reign was one of the most productive for the national side over the last few years and the coach is trying to return to a more consistent line-up and competitive level.
The appointment was the result of a rocky process. Andrea Pirlo was initially a frontrunner but fell out of favour after some controversy about his business relationship with a Russian bookmaker. The federation had narrow choices left as Pep Guardiola had been rumored to be interested but had turned down the job.
The return of Mancini is a sign of a change in the way football is managed in Italy, where stability, experience and quick results are now seen as the key qualities for a manager. The focus is now to rebuild a confidence in the squad, tactical discipline and build a long-term competitive team with qualification failures revealing structural flaws.
