one of their two penalties in either
game against eventual group winners,
Switzerland. Indeed, having remained
unbeaten through the group phase, this
shock result was only their second
defeat since a1-0 loss in Portugal
in September 2018.
Facing a monumental disaster
like this, an old Italian temptation
might have been to sack the coach.Fortunately, thus far at least, the Italian
federation has resisted that temptation.
Mancini, after serious reflection, also
rejected the notion of resignation.
When he met with the media four
days after the game, Mancini inevitably
expressed his huge disappointment,
repeating an oft-expressed concept,
namely that Italy should have won the
qualifying group a long time earlier:
“Weshouldhavewonthegroupbyat
least two points from Switzerland. In
Basel we deserved to win 3-0, but
after that everything went wrong.
“It’s no use recriminating on what
might have happened, we’ve just got
to improve now.”
As he sets about building a new
Italy, Mancini could well repeat the
process he initiated in 2018, in the
wake of the Ventura disaster. He has
already indicated that he will make
room for younger players, as he did
then. Which would mean that players
like Immobile, Insigne and Andrea
Belotti in attack,Jorginho and Nicolo
Barella in midfield, and Chiellini andITALYFrancesco Acerbi in defence will
struggle to hold on to their places.
While Mancini understandably
defended both his players and their
track record (a European Championship
victory and a three-year long, 37-match
unbeaten run), there were still many
commentators and pundits who
argued that you cannot simply put it
all down to bad luck.Arrigo Sacchi, former Milan and
Italy coach, toldGazzetta dello Sport:
“Italian football suffers from cultural
backwardness; there are no new ideas
around. Other countries have evolved
but we remain where we were 60 years
ago. Let me say it clearly, the leastresponsible for this situation are the
players and coaches. Here the problem
is institutional.
“Italy’s win at Euro 2020 last summer
was a marvellous exception for which
we should all be grateful...but it was
the exception [to] the rule.
“Other countries are moving
ahead fast, building federation centres,
supporting the development and growth
of young players...not us. Why?”
Sacchi also feels that the pace,
intensity and physicality of the Italian
league sometimes looks “ridiculous”
by comparison with that of the top
European leagues, those of England,
Spain and Germany.
What is sure is that for the second
time in the last 40 years, Italian football
has missed an amazing opportunity
(not to mention the estimated
€15 million that the elimination
will cost the federation).
In the1980s and ’90s, Italy failed
to cash in big time on its dominant role
in world club football. The country that
was then the “Hollywood” of football,
attracting Maradona, Platini, Zico,
et al, simply failed to make the most
of a ten to15 year moment. Italian
football missed out on the obvious
infrastructural investments, including
club-owned stadiums, youth-team
academies and effective
worldwide marketing, so
effectively implemented
by the Premier League.
Now, the opportunity
that risks being blown
away is that created by
Mancini, whose Euro 2020
victory provided not only a footballing
product of refreshing excellence but
also a badly needed change of Italian
mentality on which to build for the
future. As of now, that future looks
much more complicated – but at
least Mancini gets another shot at it.Fall from grace...Italy celebrate after last year’s Euro 2020 final victory at Wembley Stadium“Italian football suffers from cultural backwardness; there are
no new ideas around. Other countries have evolved but we
remain where we were 60 years ago”
Former Milan and Italy coach Arrigo SacchiStaying put...
Italy manager
Roberto Mancini