National team, Roberto Mancini’s hypothesis makes Gianni Rivera furious

On Thursday Gabriele Gravina resigned and Gianluigi Buffon followed suit by leaving the role of Head of Delegation. Gennaro Gattuso’s future is also marked, and the most concrete option seems to be to leave him on the bench until June and then change to coincide with the election of the new FIGC president.

Among the possible candidates to take the reins of the national team is also Roberto Mancini, former technical commissioner between 2018 and 2023, who has repeatedly advanced his candidacy in recent months. According to Gianni Rivera, however, recalling him would be a serious mistake: “I feel sorry for Roberto, I really mean it, but when he ran off to Saudi Arabia he made his decision and forced everyone to no longer want him as technical commissioner. That is what, unfortunately, he has not yet understood. He made himself available again but he was one of the first to do damage to the national team, I hope he does not return to our bench,” he told Repubblica.

“Gabriele Gravina’s resignation was written,” Rivera continued, “he chose Gattuso and Buffon. After such a defeat he was forced to step aside, it is a matter of responsibility. This time even if he wanted to, he could not have stayed clinging to the chair. He would not have made it. As for Gattuso, I think taking a step back is the least, especially taking into account the situation. I was surprised when he was called by the FIGC in June, even under difficult circumstances. If he had gone to the World Cup, he would have won acclaim and space, but unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way.”

The Milan legend, Ballon d’Or winner in 1969, has made himself available to lend a hand to revive Italian soccer: “I have a program developed together with my friend Adolfo Sormani, Angelo’s son. We want to start again from the youngest: we need to take care of the technique of those who start playing soccer. Then increase the facilities and get them to spend as much time as possible on the field.”

“I already had this project in my drawer, I would have exhibited it even if Italy won in Bosnia, maybe testing it in an amateur team. As for Serie A, for me there should be a maximum of three foreign players in clubs in our league, otherwise there is little material for the national team.”