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Mancini Returns as Italy Coach; Ranieri Appointed Technical Director

From Ghanaian Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Roberto Mancini is set to return as the head coach of the Italian national football team for a second spell.
  • Claudio Ranieri will take on the role of technical director, replacing Paolo Maldini.
  • The appointments follow the FIGC's failure to qualify for three consecutive World Cups and the withdrawal of their initial top candidate, Andrea Pirlo.

Roberto Mancini is poised to make a return as the head coach of the Italian national football team, embarking on his second tenure in the role. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President, Giovanni Malago, confirmed the decision on Tuesday, signaling a new chapter for the Azzurri.

Mancini is the coach.

— Giovanni MalagoConfirming Roberto Mancini's appointment as the new head coach.

Joining Mancini in the revamped technical setup will be Claudio Ranieri, who is set to assume the position of technical director. Ranieri, renowned for his fairytale Premier League title win with Leicester City in 2016, will oversee technical operations and elite football development across Italy's national team structures. This appointment fills the vacancy left by Paolo Maldini.

The FIGC's decision comes after a period of significant disappointment, marked by the national team's failure to qualify for three consecutive World Cups. Mancini's predecessor, Gennaro Gattuso, departed the post in April following a crucial World Cup qualifying defeat. The federation had initially aimed to appoint Andrea Pirlo, but his candidacy was blocked due to his connections with a Russian betting firm.

I believed that the best person to become head coach was Roberto Mancini.

— Giovanni MalagoExpressing confidence in Mancini's suitability for the role.

Furthermore, former Italy coach Pep Guardiola had also turned down the job earlier this month, leaving the FIGC to seek alternative leadership. Malago expressed his confidence in Mancini, stating, "I believed that the best person to become head coach was Roberto Mancini." He emphasized the importance of a shared vision, noting, "I needed someone with whom I could share the decision on the coach, because without that shared view my reasoning would have carried little weight."

I needed someone with whom I could share the decision on the coach, because without that shared view my reasoning would have carried little weight.

— Giovanni MalagoExplaining the rationale behind appointing a technical director alongside the coach.

Mancini previously guided Italy to a memorable European Championship title in 2021 during his first spell, which spanned 58 matches. His extensive coaching experience also includes successful stints with Inter Milan, Fiorentina, and Manchester City, where he led the club to their first Premier League title in the 2011-12 season.

So consequently, today we have a new coach and a new technical director for Italy.

— Giovanni MalagoAnnouncing the finalization of both key appointments.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ghanaian Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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