Italy between Conte and Mancini: the costs and the election of the FIGC president

If the history of Italy were a science fiction novel, it would be one of those set in a dystopian reality, where the protagonists save themselves with a time machine. But going back to the past and erasing mistakes is impossible. There’s only one way to get out of trouble. Don’t make any more wrong choices, starting with the crucial one: the new coach. There isn’t much left. On June 24th at noon we could have played in Seattle against Qatar, on the other side of the world (and the World Cup), the last round of the group. Instead there will be Bosnia there. Our match will take place in Rome and the result will probably already be written that day. The match of the Italian coach, with Conte and Mancini in the ring.

New president

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Two days earlier, on 22 June, the new federal president will be elected: today Giovanni Malagò is ahead of Giancarlo Abete. Whatever the outcome of the vote, there is no doubt that the federal candidates will already have an idea of ​​the chosen one, if not a verbal pre-agreement, to remake Italy. There are two names at the top of all the lists: Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini. With Massimiliano Allegri one step away from Napoli and out of the game, Claudio Ranieri is chasing them behind them: a year ago, having accepted the post-Spalletti job, the former Giallorossi coach had second thoughts after twenty-four hours due to the incompatibility with the role of senior advisor in Roma. The FIGC then diverted to Gattuso. Now he is free. Finally, there is the suggestion of Pep Guardiola which, however, could soon dissolve: both due to the lifestyle choice of the former City manager himself, and due to his monstrous salary, although for a manager who thrives on challenges, Italy would be a unique adrenaline rush.

Mancini repents

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Ranieri and Guardiola, with all their facets, remain in the background. The dualism is Conte-Mancini, two former coaches. Conte is the favourite, but the salary issue is anything but secondary and Mancini’s path, from this perspective, would be easier. European champion 2021, Mancio won the championship in Qatar with Al Sadd, but has no intention of continuing there: the contract reserves a release clause for him in June. It is no mystery that he wants to return to Italy and regrets the “madness” of that 13 August 2023, when he communicated his resignation via email to president Gravina, a few days before the European qualifying matches. A real escape. Mancini actually already had an agreement to become Saudi Arabia coach, evidence he denied until 27 August, when he went to sign in Riyadh. As we know, an agreement cannot be reached in two weeks. Fourteen unmemorable months in Arabia, a year off, then Al Sadd and a great desire for Italy. Forgetting the off-market wages in the Arabian peninsula, today Mancini would accept the “minimum wage” for a coach of a national team as decadent as you want, but four times world champion: around two million. Sustainable figure.

Not just friendship

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An inevitable question, however, is: would it be the Mancini of 2018-21, the one of the European masterpiece, of a spectacular, winning, courageous national team, or the one after Wembley, who lost his ticket to Qatar and then struggled in the European qualifiers until his farewell? Everyone says: given the special relationship with Malagò, friend and also partner, Mancini would be ahead. But friendship cannot be the key to a choice on which Italy’s future depends.

Federal program

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If we hadn’t figured it out yet, this is a historical crossroads. We got used to the World Cup at home. Three consecutive final phase outs are an enormity that no longer causes a scandal. From here to becoming like Hungary, very strong in the 1950s, and today reduced to the smallest of Europe, the distance is less wide than one might think. We walk on the edge of the abyss. Putting savings first would be madness. Here we need to study a four-year project with the new coach, implement work on young people by privileging the technical discussion, agree with the League to avoid Tafazzian coincidences on the dates and, for the public good, grant the coach a couple of appointments with the players, instead of pretending nothing happened like this year, when Gattuso asked for a half-internship. He didn’t have it, but Italian club football still lost all the cups.

Euro Conte

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The other name, Conte, has the connotations of pragmatism: he coached Italy from 2014 to 2016, perhaps the weakest of the last twenty years, and brought them one step away from a European semi-final, which they missed after eighteen penalties. Conte wouldn’t mind a job without the daily life of the club anymore, even if the pressure on the national team, he has always said, is unparalleled. He would be sure of qualifying. But you don’t need a crystal ball to understand that he wouldn’t accept a job on Mancini’s numbers. Let’s leave aside Napoli’s salary which is around eight million: Conte would be fine with something less, not a halving. In 2016, president Tavecchio came up with an agreement with Puma to increase the salary to 4.5 million, a figure that was then out of budget. If the new Football Federation wants Conte it will have to prove “creative” between sponsors, bonuses and other measures. If the target is Mancini, there will be no obstacles, in fact it would already be done. It is important that the technical choice comes first, then the economic one.