Napoli coach Antonio Conte has hinted at his desire to manage the Italian national team in the future, citing his successful stint with the Azzurri between 2014 and 2016.
The search continues for a new Italian national team coach following the dismissal of Gennaro Gattuso after Italy failed to qualify for the 2016 World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Conte, who led Italy to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals in France, has been mentioned as a potential candidate, along with several other Italian names. His comments after Napoli’s victory over AC Milan on Monday further fueled speculation about his chances of taking the job.
Conte: If I were the Italian Football Federation, I’d consider him too!
The 54-year-old told the media, “Let’s not forget that last year, specifically in the last three months of the season, there was talk in the media about me potentially leaving Napoli for Juventus, wasn’t there?”
He added, “The media has to write something, and it’s perfectly normal for my name to appear on that list. If I were the president of the Italian Football Federation, I would have included my name alongside the others; for many reasons, I would put Conte on that list.”
He continued, “Ultimately, I’ve already worked with the national team, and I know the atmosphere there very well. I’m flattered because representing your country is truly a wonderful thing. But you know very well that I still have one year left on my contract with Napoli, and at the end of the season, I’ll sit down with the president to discuss it.”
Regarding Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup, the renowned coach commented, “It’s disappointing. If we had won on penalties against Bosnia and qualified for the World Cup, people would have talked about a great achievement and about Italy playing fantastic football. Unfortunately, only results matter in this sport now.”
He went on, “After missing three consecutive World Cups, something serious needs to be done. When I was the national team coach, there was a lot of talk, but I received little help from the clubs.”
“Now everything is seen as a disaster, but even in disasters, there’s always something that can be salvaged,” he concluded. “We have to understand that if things aren’t going well, they’ll stay that way whether we qualify or not. If we had qualified, these same people who are criticizing now would have called it a victory. We all care about the national team, and concrete steps must be taken.”
Napoli president wouldn’t mind Conte leaving to coach Italy
Aurelio De Laurentiis admitted he’s open to letting Conte leave at the end of the season to coach the Italian national team.
“If Antonio asks me, I think I’ll say yes,” the owner of the southern club told reporters in Los Angeles, where the documentary about Napoli’s fourth Serie A title win premiered on Monday.
“But given that he (Conte) is very intelligent, unless there’s a serious negotiator—and so far there aren’t many—he’ll resist the idea of being in charge of something in complete disarray.”
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Candidates to coach the Italian national team
Besides bringing back Conte, the idea of bringing back Roberto Mancini, currently managing Al Sadd in Qatar, has also been floated. Mancini would be offered a second stint with the Italian national team after his first, which saw him lead Italy to victory in Euro 2024.
Massimiliano Allegri is another name being considered. However, the experienced Italian coach’s contract with AC Milan runs until the summer of 2027, and there are no signs of an early departure.
Pep Guardiola remains the dream choice for Italian football officials, especially since the Spaniard has previously expressed his desire to coach a national team upon leaving Manchester City.
Guardiola is expected to leave City at the end of the current season, and thus, the Italians are expected to make a move to convince him to lead the country’s new football project, although the task will be extremely complex.
