MILAN (AP) — Roberto Mancini is once again tasked with revitalizing Italian team in crisisAlmost exactly three years after he joined the national team.
Italian Football Federation President Giovanni Malago Mancini was announced as Italy’s new coach on Tuesday, adding a day earlier that Paolo Maldini would step down after just 16 days in the role and that Claudio Ranieri would become the new technical director.
“Time was running out…For various reasons, I believed that Roberto Mancini was the person who should be Italy’s new coach,” Malago said. “Tomorrow there will be a press conference with Claudio Ranieri and Roberto Mancini.”
Mancini at 61 years old He led the Azzurri to the European Championship title. Although it is 2021 resigned in shock In August 2023, he will become the coach of the Italian national team. Take over the Saudi national team 2 weeks later.
Asked about Mancini’s sudden departure as manager three years ago, Malago said: “It’s clear that all the necessary assessments have been made.” “I certainly considered it. I’m aware of his recent apology, and obviously everyone is doing their due diligence.”
The Italian national team is in crisis 3 consecutive failures Urged him to resign in order to qualify for the World Cup FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso In April, right after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs.
Mancini’s first spell
Mancini’s first appointment as Italy manager came just after the team missed out on the 2018 World Cup after losing to Sweden in the qualifying play-offs.
He revived the Azzurri by adding talent and youth to the squad at Euro 2020, which was postponed by a year, and won the trophy by defeating England on penalties at Wembley Stadium.
From 2018 to 2021, Mancini led Italy to a world record 37 games unbeaten.
but, Lost 1-0 in the playoff semifinals The Azzurri once again missed out on the World Cup in 2022, as they faced 67th-ranked North Macedonia at home.
Despite this, Mancini remained in the position until his sudden resignation in August 2023. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was a coach at Al Sadd in Qatar until stepping down just last month.
Mancini previously led Inter Milan and Manchester City to league titles.
Ranieri resigned last year.
Luciano Spalletti replaced Mancini in 2023, but was sacked two years later after Italy lost to Norway in their first World Cup qualifier last year. Ranieri, who famously led a lackluster Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, turned down an offer to become Azzurri manager and was replaced by Gattuso.
Ranieri’s last job was as a special adviser to Roma, a position he took after saving the capital’s team from crisis. The 74-year-old left in April due to falling out with manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
Pirlo, Guardiola, Ancelotti
The appointment will be the next day Andrea Pirlo has been removed as a potential candidate. He took the Italian job amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian gambling company.
Malago emphasized “mutual consent”, which led to the resignations of Maldini and Special Adviser Leonardo.
“We were dealing with a unique situation virtually before we started,” Malago added. “There were no conflicts. As in the best of families, with the utmost respect, calm discussions took place and there was a clear and calm agreement that it was best for us to go our separate ways.”
Josep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti had already turned down offers to coach the Azzurri. Former Italy national team coach Antonio Conte was also at issue.
Don’t expect miracles from Mancini anytime soon
Italy will next face Belgium, Türkiye and France in the Nations League in September and October.
“The new coach will undergo two training sessions in preparation for the first match,” Malago said. “And I don’t think we have given passports to Lamine Yamal, (Kylian) Mbappé or (Harry) Kane since the Bosnia game.
“We know we are playing in the same group as the three teams that participated in the World Cup and two of them are in the last eight, so now we have to do the best with what we have.”
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