Gian Piero Ventura became a pariah in Italian football after failing to guide the Azzurri to the 2018 World Cup, but in a way he was right following that loss against Sweden.
The now 74-year-old coach was pointed to as the physical embodiment of a failing and outdated style of Italian football following the World Cup qualification failure, with the fault only laying at his door and no-one else’s. He wasn’t impressed by this and suggested that there were more factors at play, but at the time no-one was interested.
Now though, it’s clear that Ventura was correct. The fault was not only his. Italian football clearly has issues and the reaction to Italy’s latest World Cup qualification failure, with many calling for Roberto Mancini to remain in his position, is the correct move. This is despite the fact that losing to Sweden is a little more palatable compared to a defeat against North Macedonia.
Sweeping changes are needed to overhaul the Italian game if the Azzurri want to become one of the top teams in world football again, and now time has proven that Ventura was correct in suggesting that there was more to blame in 2017 than simply him.
No, #Ventura non sorride: ma l'ha sempre detto, non era solo colpa sua #Nazionale #Mancini #Figc https://t.co/kGm8ID2tIT pic.twitter.com/28hfAVJB2K
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) March 25, 2022
It never was.
BUT he seemed out of his element. Fishing out Spain in Qualifiers didn’t help (knocked down to Pot 2 from Results in the Conte tenure).
There was definitely a rift between the Senators of the team (I remember hearing Barzagli’s name and funny enough he features in the picture accompanying this article).
Ahead of the Spain match that we lost 3-0, there was supposedly an altercation where he snapped at the Senatori for leaking the Lineup.
The rot started earlier. Even during WC 2006 it was on. Milan of 2003 – 2007 covered some blemishes and unopposed Inter in 2010 did so as well but the decline was on.
If Mancini played the right guys we could’ve done very well. It’s his fault for picking the same line up that got him nowhere the past 3 games.
Yes he should have been much bolder instead of continuing with Immobile and Insigne, hoping it would resolve itself.
No, Ventura was a nightmare and the blame for the last failure to qualify was his and his alone. While Mancini’s team’s problem was the inability for the strikers to score (1000+ shots in the group says that the chances come but the strikers need corrective eye surgery), Ventura’s team was clueless. And this followed a poor track record. But Italy needs to regroup and make space for some good youngsters now. Missed some real sitters yesterday… That’s unforgiveable.
Ventura was an absolute sausage! No! It was his fault. When italy needed to score he was trying to bring on a defensive midfielder. Lets not lose our minds here people!
What should have happened that night we failed against sweden was…. limit foreign players per team…. simple! We would be in a better position now for sure!
Instead we were subjected to Pedro (whoever he is) and immobile who is simply terrible just to name afew!
Of course it’s Ventura’s fault. He didn’t use any available player from Juventus and very few from Milan teams. He’s a very selfish, mean and malicious person.
Mancini was unlucky that Juventus players were injured. His biggest mistake was playing florenzi, a very bad player.
Players from small clubs r not reliable in critical matches and it has been proved many times, especially the front three.
It was ALL HIS FAULT!!!!
The problems with Italian football are many. But Ventura has no excuse he was the embodiment of all the problems. Mancini shouldn’t stay either. If you cannot see what is clear to everyone else Immobile and Belloti are just not good enough and change nothing than you’re clearly don’t deserve the job.