Rome, March 28 (BUS): Roberto Mancini will remain coach of Italy despite the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup again, according to the Associated Press.
Italy, who won the European Championship just eight months ago, lost to North Macedonia 1-0 in the qualifiers on Thursday and will now miss the World Cup for the second time in a row.
The previous failure led to the dismissal of coach Gian Piero Ventura and the appointment of Mancini.
But this time the Italian Football Association decided to stick with the coach who revitalized the national team and led them to the Euro 2020 title. The 57-year-old Mancini’s contract was extended until 2026 in May.
“We need to start over,” Mancini said on Monday. “I spoke to the chief, we are in agreement on everything … We will have time to discuss what we need to improve.
“I am still young and wanted to win the European Championship and the World Cup, and we have to wait for the second for a bit. I love this work and I know that with the players we can organize something important again. Apart from the disappointment, everything else is moving forward.”
Mancini introduced an exciting football brand after taking over from Ventura.
His team also broke several records, including going 37 unbeaten matches (before losing to Spain in the Nations League finals).
As Italy prepares to start from scratch again, veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci believes Mancini is the right man once again for the job.
“What the coach has given us in these three years is something unique,” said Bonucci. “He created an empathy that we rarely see at Coverciano (the Italian team’s headquarters).
“For us continuing with the coach is just a logical thing to do: his ideas and his human value are unquestionable. The result of a one-time match can change opinions, but those who live this every day just want to continue this path.”
Instead of preparing for the play-off final against Portugal on Tuesday, Italy will play Turkey after the team lost to the Portuguese on Thursday.
Nine of Italy’s players called up for World Cup qualifying matches have returned to their clubs over the past three days after suffering physical problems: Marco Verratti, Jorginho, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne, Domenico Berardi, Gianluca Mancini, Luiz Felipe, Alessandro Florenzi, Matteo Politano.
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