Former Milan striker Joe Jordan doesn’t understand the discussion over Gianluigi Buffon being called for Italy – “he’ll give balance”.
The former Scottish international spent three seasons in Italy, also turning out for Verona, and ahead of the Azzurri’s friendly with England he discussed the state of the national team.
“Italy are going through a nightmare, it’s been a long time since they didn’t qualify for the World Cup,” Jordan told Il Bianconero.
Former Milan striker Joe Jordan doesn’t understand the discussion over Gianluigi Buffon being called for Italy – “he’ll give balance”.
The former Scottish international spent three seasons in Italy, also turning out for Verona, and ahead of the Azzurri’s friendly with England he discussed the state of the national team.
“Italy are going through a nightmare, it’s been a long time since they didn’t qualify for the World Cup,” Jordan told Il Bianconero.
“That also happened to Scotland this year. I didn’t see them against Argentina, but I saw a lot of young players among those who were called-up. They need to restart from there.
“I didn’t know there was this discussion in Italy about calling-up Buffon again, he’s a very good goalkeeper with huge experience who will give balance and the right mix to this national team.
“Carlo Ancelotti or Roberto Mancini for CT? The Federation needs to choose a CT who wants to lead the national team, not someone who will change his mind after a year and a half.
“I know Ancelotti and Mancini well because I faced them in the Premier League, but from what I’ve heard the latter seems a better fit to me because he’s already said he’d like to coach Italy.
“I think Ancelotti wants a club.”
Jordan also gave his opinion on Serie A and Italian football in general, starting with Juventus’ elimination of his former side, Tottenham Hotspur, in the Champions League.
“Juventus deserved to qualify, they were too streetwise for Tottenham.
“[Mauricio] Pochettino’s team had a good game in Turin, it was not easy to come back from two goals down.
“In the return game in England the Bianconeri didn’t play great football, but I could see how much the players wanted to win it.
“It wasn’t luck, even though they weren’t at 100 per cent they knew how to get through it and beat their opponents at Wembley.
“The experience that Spurs lack can’t be bought, you can only gain it on a football pitch.
“[Coach Max] Allegri chose the right time to make his changes, he knew those changes would win him the game.
“In fact the goals by [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Paulo] Dybala came thanks to those players who came off the bench [Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner].
“The Scudetto race? I haven’t changed my mind from a few months ago. Napoli have a very good Coach [Maurizio Sarri] who gets his teams playing well, but in the end Juventus will win the Scudetto.”