Italian media defend Roberto Mancini after the embarrassing 1-0 loss against North Macedonia and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina said he hopes Mancio doesn’t leave. But should the CT resign now?
Mancini extended his contract with the Azzurri before the Euros last summer, but his future is now in strong doubt following Italy’s second straight elimination from the World Cup.
Gravina has already clarified that he won’t sack the CT, so it’s Mancini who must decide on his future. “We will see. I think everyone is too disappointed right now to talk about the future,” he told Rai Sport last night. As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabio Cannavaro is the leading candidate to replace Mancini if he resigns.
At least reading Italian sports papers this morning, the general feeling in Italy is that Mancini is the last to be blamed and media are somehow protecting the coach.
‘It would be a mistake to blame Mancini, the whole system must be changed,’ is the column of La Gazzetta dello Sport editor Stefano Barigelli.
‘Dear CT, don’t go,’ wrote Tuttosport’s Xavier Jacobelli. Ivan Zazzaroni, of Il Corriere dello Sport, did write that Mancini is the first responsible for Italy’s failure but didn’t call for his sacking or dismissal. ‘Football is a lie,’ is the title of his column.