Today’s news report that he will definitely stay at Al-Hilal. https://m.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie...hi-europa-vuole-rimanere-all-al-hilal-2236333
Here is a breakdown of potential italian National Team Managers: • Antonio Conte: Set to depart Napoli at the end of the season, Conte is currently favored to lead Italy into the next qualifying cycle. However, his tendency to rely heavily on familiar, pre-established players could hinder the necessary integration of new talent. • Pep Guardiola: While an incredibly ambitious and prestigious candidate, appointing a foreign manager might present a cultural barrier, potentially making it more difficult to forge a deep, intrinsic bond with the squad. • Simone Inzaghi & Massimiliano Allegri: Given that both are highly unlikely to leave their respective club sides, it is best to shift the focus away from them entirely. • Claudio Ranieri: Although he has publicly expressed his availability, his ideal window of opportunity was last year. Embarking on a long-term, four-year project at this stage of his career seems impractical given his age. • Daniele De Rossi: Currently performing well at Genoa, making the leap to the national team level at this point in his career feels premature. • Roberto Mancini: During his previous tenure with the Azzurri, he proved his ability to rejuvenate the squad by successfully launching young talents like Nicolò Zaniolo, Wilfried Gnonto, and Mateo Retegui. However, the sting of failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup remains a significant stain on his record. Conclusion: Ultimately, every candidate presents a distinct compromise; none emerge as the definitive, flawless choice for the role.
Some food for thought. 🇮🇹🗣Fabio #Capello sull'ipotesi #Guardiola CT dell'Italia: "Grande allenatore con grande qualità, riesce sempre a fare molto bene dappertutto come allenatore di club. La nazionale è un altro mestiere, non lavori tutti i giorni e la difficoltà è proprio questa: non sei un… pic.twitter.com/0WlxNL1SDF— calciomercato.it (@calciomercatoit) May 20, 2026 Some of the comments say it's irrelevant because Capello is a dinosaur, however his points are about the ability to buy players to fit a system rather than select from a pre-determined pool. Thoughts?
🚨Issa Doumbia➡️Sporting CP⏳• 20M💰+ 3M💰GUARANTEED• 3M💰in more complicated bonuses • Small future resale % for Venezia@DiMarzioHe scored 10 goals & provided 8 assists in 38 games in Serie B this season. One of the BEST breakouts this seasonDoes Baldini call him? pic.twitter.com/YwMvCwTua2— AzzurriXtra🇮🇹 (@XtraAzzurri) May 20, 2026
For me I don't care what Capello has to say about the national team. He never had the courage himself to coach the team. He claimed he did not like coaching sporadically and preferred to coach a club team, yet he went on to coach England and Russia.
Didn't he offer himself before Italy went back to Lippi in 2008? Besides that point, what do you think about him suggesting that Italy doesn't have the personnel, at least the way I read it, to satisfy Pep's demands for his system? Do you think Pep is stylistically different than Spalletti?
if i remember correctly, he was already England coach during the Euros in 2008 (they didn't make it so he was hired prior). We had Donadoni ... and Lippi only came back once he was gone post euros. I do believe we have players that would fit Pep's style. I'd trust him over Spalletti for certain. That being said, i dont think he would accept to come to coach us.
You're probably right about him coaching England during that time frame. I thought I remembered that he made himself available at some point for Italy and was looked over. He would have to believe that Italy has the available players to fit his system and unlike Carlo Ancelotti might not be brave enough to venture out of a system where he can attract a rich owner who will open up the checkbook for him. Brazil is still talented, maybe not like in the past and if Ancelotti can teach Madrid to play a low block, he certainly can teach Brazil. They did that against France and Croatia and it looked like they were getting comfortable with it. I know I'm stating the obvious but Pep doesn't play that style. He's going to need specific players to reproduce what he did at Barcelona with arguably one of the best starting 11's of all time, and more recently once with Man City. I remember reading somewhere that Pep's total expenditure at Man City was over €2 billion. With more or less the same choices save for the few up and coming talents, how would he have improved over Spalletti who plays almost the same style? Like for example, and no offense, but Italy doesn't have a Haaland, and outside of Tonali and Barrela who I think would be useful to Pep he also has the luxury of having Silva, Rodri, Fodden, Cherki, Doku to cycle through in the midfield, and Gvardiol, Nunes, Guehi, Stones in defense. It's a pretty star studded lineup. I've been watching City closely for years and they've had very favorable decisions in the European competitions and domestic as well. Do you think Pep will have that luxury with Italy? In Spalletti's time, unless under the intense pressure of Spain he often had Italy playing with 5 men in attack with a similar tactical setup as Pep, so I don't know that Pep would make all that difference when he doesn't have an open check book. Just my thoughts.
I am happy he is going to Sporting he will play CL and a good level in Portugal and will actually play but Serie A teams are sleeping on this generation coming up they should all be scrambling to scoop them up.
Catanzaro vs Monza for the final Serie A spot.. either way there will be more Italians coming up but Catanzaro has the better young players and project.
Dico la mia: 1) Antonio Conte, non mi entusiasma, ricordotate la famosa battuta "con 10 Euro non si mangia a un ristorante da 100" beh il ns livello attuale e da chiosco dei Panini e lui dovrà LAVORARE con gli U21 COSA CHE LUI NON E' RIUSCITA MAI A FARE (Vergara ha esordito solo con l'infermeria piena se non COL CAVOLO.....) inoltre SEMPRE CO STO CAZZO DI 3-5-2 di Maldiniana memoria (parlo di Cesare non Paolo) e se mi dite di Euro 2016 vi rispondo che quella squadra aveva la BBC(Bonucci-Barzagli-Chiellini) in piena forma e De Rossi a centrocampo mica pizza e fichi.... 2)Guardiola lo considero DECISAMENTE IMPROBABILE per il livello dell'Ingaggio (lui prendeva 14 milioni al City noi quello che pagavamo di più era Conte, 4 milioni, e solo grazie agli sponsor) oltre a questo Guardiola Manca un eventuale conoscenza della ns filiera delle giovanili (perchè se conti sui quei pochi italiani che giocano in A......) 3)Claudio Ranieri non mi dispiacerebbe, ma il limite dell'età potrebbe essere un peso (o forse no?) 4) Allegri MA MANCO PER IL C***O, cioè QUESTO QUA HA RISCHIATO DI NON RAGGIUNGERE L'OBIETTIVO DELLA CHAMPIONS CON UNA ROSA CHE PER IL CAMPIONATO ITALIANO ERA OTTIMA E SENZA COPPE!!!! poi se vogliamo vincere 1-0 contro Lussemburgo e Cipro facciamo pure però non ci meravigliamo se tutti ci sfifano (e inoltre ci mancano i giocatori necessari per giocare alla sua maniera) 5)De Rossi NE DEVE MANGIARE DI PANE prima di essere considerato valido..... 6)Roberto Mancini è la mia scelta preferita per il tipo di lavoro che secondo me andrebbe fatto, il problema poi non è la mqncata qualificazione al mondiale in Qatar, ma l'abbandono improvviso per andare in Arabia, io su questo chiuderei un occhio (con i soldi che hanno offerto gli Arabi DUBITO che molti avrebbero detto di no) speriamo che erò abbia capito la lezione poi c'è Baldini che magari se le amichevoli vanno bene.....
My Preferred (listing those who are/ will be out of work when contract expires). 1) Pep 2) Palladino 3) Mancio 4) Conte 5) Didier Deschamps (results-wise, great but he has a great team to work with. Even still, I know France fans have some issues with him). I'm not even listing the terrorist or Ranieri. EDIT: I should add that of them, Mancini would know best how to start a new cycle and integrate youth. You better believe he'll personally make that call to Tresoldi. No emails. He's only 3rd on my list because I absolutely hate second stints. If Conte arrives? Get ready for journeymen that run and press conferences filled with buzzwords. I'd be curious to know if Bonucci will speak up and have his say. He is still contracted with the NT and likely joins the staff of whoever takes the job. As I posted last month, he was present at the Laureus Awards and spoke glowingly of Pep, when he was asked. I'd like to think Bonucci as former Vice Captain of the team has some input. As well, Pep wanted Bonucci to join him at City but Bonucci declined. So the 2 of them do have a rapport.
I think Pep is looking at the lower number of Italians starting in Serie A and Why would he waste a 4 year cycle with Italy. He is probably looking at the talent pool and sees how many Italians play in Serie A and said nope. Italy deserve Ventura again. Pep should stay far way from the trainwreck until it's fixed
So if any of you think things are going to get better for Italy, think again! I just read UEFA today, revamped their Euro and World Cup qualification for 2028 and 2030, respectively. Also, for the WC, UEFA only gets 16 spots but Portugal and Spain are already taken so there are only 14 available spots. Unless something changes in the next year, the future looks bleak!
In my view, Baldini lacks the temperament required for the role. His impulsiveness—mirrored in his reaction with Di Carlo years ago and the way he handles interviews today, make him not suited for the senior national team, which demands a more composed leader. Consequently, even if he secures victories against these highly modest opponents, he remains, in my estimation, the wrong choice for the position.
Non è che le alternative siano meglio, soprattutto per il tipo di lavoro che bisogna fare, ovvero lavorare con i giovani che escono dall'U21, di sicuro CONTE(o peggio ancora ALLEGRI) non ha mai dimostrato capacità di lavoro con i giovani nei Club, l'unico secondo me che sarebbe in grado di fare ciò è Mancini
I haven't seen much of his interviews but I've watched all of his U21 games and he is one of the calmest coaches I've ever seen, even when they are down, he seems emotionless. It's like watching Don Carlo out there. That incident happened 20 years ago, lol.
Yes, I had a look a few weeks ago at the 2030 format. Another shitshow quite very well possible with only 14 spots up for grabs.
Here is an interview of a few years ago. https://youtube.com/shorts/GP7C2JeuAFQ?is=D_LVn7nxxOjBGxhA The journalist asked a question very politely, saying “if you can tell”, but Baldini got nervous and abandoned the interview, when he could just say “sorry, i can’t tell”. That shows totally lack of temperament.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cjdpjxgklyeo "The new qualifying format will feature two tiers, League 1 and League 2. League 1 will include 36 nations drawn from the top two tiers of the Nations League, split into three groups of 12, with each team playing six matches against six different opponents, two from each seeding pot. The top finishers in each group will earn automatic qualification, with the remaining spots decided through a playoff system" Screenshot-2026-05-20-183027-1069x603.webp essentially top nations will have to play each other in three groups of the best teams with only one nation going through. this is to make qualifying more compelling to advertisers and do away with big nations versus minnows. the mystery is how the remaining sides that don't finish 1st would qualify in the "playoff" round.