Gabriele Gravina, the president of the FA, wants Roberto Mancini to keep guiding Italy. However, he is inevitably preparing some alternatives if the coach steps down. The manager will take a few days to mull over his decision. The Azzurri will face Turkey in a friendly in Konya Tuesday. He will announce his decision after such match.
According to Sky Sport and La Repubblica, Fabio Cannavaro would be the leading candidate to replace him. Marcello Lippi would join him as a technical director. FIGC already tried to onboard the veteran gaffer in such role in the past. However, they gave up the idea because it caused friction with the current boss.
The legendary defender stated that he would love to coach the national team in a recent interview. He previously helmed the Chinese one, with Lippi in a managerial role, but only for two friendlies. At the club level, he managed Guangzhou Evergrande, Al Nassr, and Tianjin Quanjian. He is currently out of contract.
The other options to substitute Mancini on the Italy bench appear to be less likely. Claudio Ranieri, Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso could be in the mix as well, La Repubblica informs. Carlo Ancelotti and Stefano Pioli would be strong choices, but they would have to leave prestigious perches. The deal of the Azzurri coach expires in 2026. He will have full autonomy to decide what to do next. The bookmakers have started to list him as an option to take over PSG or Manchester United today, Tuttomercatoweb informs.