Tommasi: Tavecchio must resign

Damiano Tommasi, head of the Italian Players’ Union, has called for Carlo Tavecchio to resign after branding the FIGC “not credible”.

Tavecchio’s position is widely considered untenable after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup next summer, and Tommasi warned only mass reforms could prevent mistakes of the past from being repeated.

Damiano Tommasi, head of the Italian Players’ Union, has called for Carlo Tavecchio to resign after branding the FIGC “not credible”.

Tavecchio’s position is widely considered untenable after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup next summer, and Tommasi warned only mass reforms could prevent mistakes of the past from being repeated.

“We’re ready to sit around a table and tackle all the critical issues of our football, in the hope that each member will step aside and without fear of copying good practices from other countries,” the former Roma midfielder told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Perhaps we’ll find a candidate with the same understanding as ourselves, but first we need to put a stop to things.

“If not, there’s the risk of repeating our mistakes of the past: promising reforms, being happy with this and that, just working to get by and only talking about football before Tavecchio and the council push through an act of responsibility.

“If we’re out of the World Cup, it’s because both the FIGC and clubs have gone too many years without thinking about a sporting project.

“Reserve teams? I don’t want to talk about it. They sent Ventura packing, but they’re not credible themselves.

“Everyone’s asking: Tavecchio sacks the CT but doesn’t leave himself? This is the consensus.

“Given the messages I’ve received in the last few hours, I’m comforted by having read the feelings of the players well, which is the same as those of the fans.

“I’ve been trying to involve the greats for some time, but I’ve noticed a sense of discouragement in them because things have never changed.

“We hope that after Monday, the newspapers will continue their battle, without being happy with just the appointment of a big-name CT.”