Yes, you read it right!
Italy have FAILED to make it to the 2018 Football World Cup.
The country has hit back with anger as the Italians only managed a 0-0 draw with Sweden in last nights showdown. It’s the first time in 60 years that the country have failed to make it to the World Cup…
The headline on the countries main sports paper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, read: ‘This is the apocalypse.’ This headline is very likely to sum up the countries anger and shows the disbelief in Italy.
Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian goalkeeper, last night retired from football and said he was ‘sorry for all of Italian football.’
Another major Italian paper described the situation as ‘an intolerable football shame, an indelible stain.’
Italy are four time world-champions and twice runners up in the largest and most coveted prize in football.
It’s a sure bet that Gian Piero Ventura, the widely criticised manager, will be leaving after just 1 year in charge. Another manager that can be added to our manager merry go round. The next question is, who will the next manager be?
What are the Options?
Will anyone want to take the job at the minute? There’s a lot of pressure on the next manager to get the team out of the dumps and going again. Having said that, their next set of results under a new manager is unlikely to be as bad as yesterdays.
Carlo Ancelotti
Speculation is rife that Ancelotti may well get the job after his recent dismissal from Bayern Munich. It may well be that Italians have everything crossed in hope.
Antonio Conte
Many Italians have called for Antonio Conte to return to the job after Gian Piero Ventura’s unsuccessful spell. When he was last there between 2014 and 2016, he led the team to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals and managed to win 14 out of 25 games. A well regarded spell compared to yesterday’s dismal dismay. However Conte has recently signed a new 2 year deal worth £19.2 million at Chelsea.
National pride in a football team evokes many things. When things go wrong the outcry seems to be almost disproportional to many more important issues across the world. But, for those who love football it is all-consuming.
I would not want to be in Ventura’s shoes. Some will undoubtedly say that it was all his fault but what about the players and the coaches? Fingers will be pointed, excuses given and heads will roll. One sure bet is that things will not remain the same.
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