Paolo Maldini, the newly appointed technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), has confirmed that discussions have taken place with Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti about the position of national team manager.
Event Context
It has been revealed that discussions with Carlo Ancelotti took place prior to engaging Pep Guardiola. Starting with the best in the world seemed like the logical approach to assess their availability.
This search for a new head coach comes on the heels of Italy’s failure to reach the World Cup for the third consecutive time, which led to Gennaro Gattuso’s resignation. In a related move, FIGC president Gabriele Gravina stepped down and was succeeded by Giovanni Malagò, a key figure in the Italian Olympic Committee.
Ancelotti, who renewed his contract with the Brazilian national team in May through the 2030 World Cup, was approached by Italy despite his current commitment. Italy’s interest in the five-time Champions League-winning coach arises after Brazil’s recent 2-1 loss to Norway in the Round of 16. However, Ancelotti has affirmed his dedication to honoring his contract with Brazil.
The FIGC is experiencing a significant crisis and sees this managerial decision as a critical step towards restructuring its youth and talent development system, which has been acknowledged as having failed. Should negotiations for either Guardiola or Ancelotti fall through, potential domestic candidates include former Napoli coach Antonio Conte, alongside Roberto Mancini, who is currently leading Al Sadd in the Saudi Pro League and previously guided Italy to the European Championship victory in 2021. Additionally, Andrea Pirlo, a former Juventus coach who was part of Italy’s World Cup-winning team in 2006, has also been mentioned as a candidate for the position.
Player Focus
During a press conference on Thursday, the former captain and Azzurri defender addressed the federation’s ambitious shortlist. When reporters inquired about Guardiola, Maldini responded, “Honestly, at this moment, we can’t provide any updates on the situation.”
Team Analysis
The FIGC has reached out to the iconic Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti, who is currently leading the Brazil national team. However, the position of the senior team’s head coach remains unfilled. Since April, Silvio Baldini, the Under-21 coach, has taken on the role of caretaker manager, guiding the team to narrow 1-0 victories against Luxembourg and Greece in the June international friendlies. Paolo Maldini is actively searching for a permanent coach to help revitalize the struggling national squad.
A new head coach is needed within the next month, as Italy begins its UEFA Nations League group stage in September. They face a challenging Group A, featuring teams like France, Belgium, and Turkey.
Maldini expressed, “Ideally, we would announce the new coach this week, but we also want to ensure it’s the right person for the job. There is a sense of urgency, but we are not feeling overly pressured.”
Pep Guardiola is currently available after leaving Manchester City at the end of the last season, wrapping up a decade-long tenure that brought six Premier League titles and a Champions League win. Although he has indicated a desire to take a coaching break and spend time with his family, Maldini and advisor Leonardo recently spent three days in Barcelona discussing the coaching position with Guardiola.
Match Outlook
The FIGC has reportedly proposed an annual salary of 10 million Euros for Guardiola. However, Guardiola is seeking a salary of 20 million Euros per year, matching his previous earnings at Manchester City. Acknowledging Guardiola’s esteemed reputation, Malagò has suggested that the federation is open to financial adjustments to resolve the salary discrepancy.
