Il Mancio dumped the national team with an overnight email. The Tuscan coach has a condition, he is linked to Napoli exclusively until January, but the FIFA plans to untie the knot. Conte is ready as a substitute
Another apocalypse for Italian football. Worse than its predecessors which cost us elimination from the last two World Cups, because, however embarrassing and unwarranted it may be, one should never be ashamed of a result on the pitch. However, it is a deposit of advantages and disadvantages, it is part of mathematical logic. But that’s another story. Here is the coach of the national team that won four World Cups, Roberto Mancini, who abruptly resigned from his post, without explanation, two days before mid-August, on one of the most ridiculous days in our football history.
left-handed
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The Federal President, Gabriel Gravina, yesterday morning found, among the emails, his coach’s shell sent from Mykonos which informed him of the decision. They had met the night before to talk about some crucial issues, but the word “resignation” was never mentioned. Tonight she didn’t come up with any advice. Gravina tried to call on Mancini, but failed. Wrong times and ways, minimum. In 26 days, the national team will play against Macedonia and three days later against Ukraine, sensitive matches on the way to the European Championship, after defeat against England. In two days, pre-calls must be made for players who can be played outside, and by 21-22 for the others. Someone else in the FA would take care of it.
Cracks in the national team
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Yesterday, late this morning, the official press release: “FIFA acknowledges the resignation of Roberto Mancini as head coach of the Italian national team.” Late in the afternoon, and searched by the Football Association, which, with some tension, demanded confirmation of the bias of the decision, Mancio’s words arrived on Instagram: “Resignation as coach of the national team was my personal choice.” Usual thanks and regards. “It was an honor.” No later than June 17, in Enschede, after the defeat by Spain in the Nations League, Mancini affirmed: “I hear things about me that have no rhyme and no reason. I am staying and I am happy. We risk winning the 2026 World Cup.” In early August, he accepted the new role of supervisor of the Under-20 and Under-21 teams and was involved in the reorganization of the national youth teams. The Football Association confirmed that the coach had given full approval to the new appointments, while in a left-handed environment there was dissatisfaction with the treatment given to some members of the squad. Mancini had noticed a decline in confidence, which was confirmed by the appointment of Gigi Buffon as head of the delegation, descending from above. Perhaps the straw that broke the camel’s back. Surely, something happened after the shocking defeat against Macedonia. And it could not be otherwise. At the time, his resignation (and not just his resignation) was more understandable. The masterpiece Euro 21, for which we will always be grateful, secured him a new credit opening, but after the failure of the World Cup against lesser opponents, and after the late renewal of the national team, Roberto could no longer present himself as the ultimate Domino of the Universe Blue, it had to be to come to terms. Are these dynamics and fractured pride enough to justify resignation? There will be richer reasons. Pharaonic contract to lead the Saudi national team for the next three years. In those parts, they make sure that the agreement is about to expire, indeed it has already been signed, and they say that the negotiations started in June.
Promise shoulders
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Such was the case, that while Mancini was negotiating a salary adjustment (500,000 euros) with Federcalcio for the new role of superintendent, Mancini agreed with the Arab nabobs. If so, it would be a very sad image of our football, bereft of emotion, a blot on Mancini’s sporting ideal. Moving from one national team to another is not the same as moving from one team to another, because the national team is a people’s team, as it represents values and belonging. It’s not a private company, it’s an organization. Don’t let loose in the summer like a dog on the highway. Unloaded by a nightly text message from Mykonos, where the Turin entrepreneur spends her holidays, she dumped before the wedding over alleged infidelity. Mancini was married to the Italian until June 2026. The frantic search for a new coach has begun, and with pressing commitments, there are no minutes to lose. To restore credibility to the Football Association, unable to intercept such a denouement, and to transfer confidence to the Azzurri fans, strong names are needed, such as the name Mancini after the Swedish apocalypse. Gravina would not like to fall below the already tested Luciano Spalletti and Antonio Conte who have guaranteed maximum availability. Spalletti is the favorite who will give more tactical continuity to Mancio’s 4-3-3 and will gather more cross-talk, as well as a lower salary cost. There is the issue of the 3m clause that ties him exclusively to De Laurentiis’ Napoli until January, but Gravina is confident he will sort it out, and Conte brings experience as Coverciano’s former hire and charisma to a charging troop possibly upset by the switch. The former Juventus player, already a coach and perhaps with another club adventure more at heart, nevertheless made himself available to the Azzurri cause: if he missed the Spalletti circuit and was under the supervision of his homeland, he would answer yes. We await the white smoke of the 15th of August, the most baffling day in Italian football.
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