Former FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio says the biggest mistake of his tenure was not to give Antonio Conte the pay-rise he wanted.
The current Chelsea boss led the Azzurri to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 before departing to take over the Blues.
He was replaced by Giampiero Ventura, with the Nazionale subsequently failing to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Former FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio says the biggest mistake of his tenure was not to give Antonio Conte the pay-rise he wanted.
The current Chelsea boss led the Azzurri to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 before departing to take over the Blues.
He was replaced by Giampiero Ventura, with the Nazionale subsequently failing to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
“My biggest error was not giving Conte the €2.5m more that he wanted,” Tavecchio, who resigned following Italy’s play-off defeat to Sweden last November, told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I would have got it back in three friendlies. Antonio was earning €4m and was asking for €6.5m.
“He would have stayed with the Azzurri and today we would be in Russia, for sure.
“But is it right to give what we were investing in the youth sector to one man?”
Italy took their time to appoint a successor to Ventura, but Tavecchio believes they have found the right man in Roberto Mancini.
“Immediately after the defeat to Sweden, I contacted Sacchi in order to convince Ancelotti.
“I was convinced that he would accept the role as our saviour, but he cost too much.
“At that point, I would also have chosen Mancini.”