The spirit of 2006 to lift the World curse. If Roberto Mancini decides to resign, Italy's future will be…a leap into the past, with the Cannavaro-Lippi duo in pole position. The choice is not yet official and it will hardly become so before Tuesday evening, when the Azzurri will face Turkey in a sort of "final between losers" that nobody really cares about, except for the sponsors and organizers. Until then, rightly so, Mancio will continue his work as coach, although the goal has by now inexorably slipped away and with him all the stimuli necessary to continue the work. Starting again after such a disappointment, in fact, is very difficult and this, beyond the facade declarations, is also well known by Gravina, who, not surprisingly, had already had the classic "plan B" ready for some time.
Mancini-Italy, it will be divorce: resignation immediately after Türkiye-Italy?
The farewell will be consumed with elegance, as it should be between men of sport who, no later than eight months ago, brought Italy to the top of Europe. A historic feat that had prompted the parties to renew until 2026, thus including two World Cups (Qatar 2022 and the one organized by the triptych Canada-USA-Mexico in 2026), but also the European Championship in Germany in 2024. However, both knew well that it was a pro forma, because the role of the blue coach is historically linked to results, for better or for worse. In short, the unwritten agreement envisaged going to Qatar and then evaluating based on the achievement of the objectives (Mancini had even spoken of winning the World Cup), but Jorginho's missed penalty against Switzerland was ahead of the times.
Gravina, without disheartening Jesi's leader, already started looking around in December, with the knowledge that the playoffs would be difficult, even if he didn't even think of going home with Macedonia yet. In the meantime, Mancio is silent, but those close to him swear they have never seen him demolished as in these hours: the idea of having destroyed a splendid castle in a few months gnaws inside him like a woodworm, which is why it is very difficult, perhaps impossible, that he has the mental energy to start all over again, especially since the press and fans, until recently everyone was on his side, would no longer forgive him anything. In short, the resignation seems to be the only way forward and it is probable that they will arrive between Tuesday evening and Wednesday after the useless trip to Turkey.
Gravina has chosen Cannavaro (coach) and Lippi (technical director): the duo from the 2006 world championship is reassembled
The future seems to have already been written and bears the names of Cannavaro and Lippi, both in an unprecedented guise. The 2006 captain would become coach, thus covering a role he had never had before, while Marcello would be promoted to technical director, a position that Gravina would have liked to offer him already some time ago but which found the iron opposition of Mancini, far from attracted by the prospect of having such a bulky figure on top of him. For Cannavaro, on the other hand, it would be different, indeed the figure of Lippi would be of great help to him both from a technical and media point of view, furthermore the prospect has been clear to him for months: not surprisingly, when Boniek offered him the Poland bench, he had declined in clear and decisive manner. Gravina, therefore, will try to raise the national team (and save himself, given that many are also asking for his head) with an unprecedented move, in total contrast with what was done in 2018, when he chose Mancini (therefore experience and trophies) to drive away the memory of Ventura.
So it's all decided? More or less yes, also because the "real" alternatives are decidedly less convincing. Ranieri, however appreciated and esteemed, would not give a signal of freshness, Pioli (surveyed a few months ago) wants to continue his work with Milan, Ancelotti, by far the ideal, is practically impossible to achieve. Better to focus on the Cannavaro-Lippi couple, harbinger of many good memories (and also disappointments like the 2010 World Cup, but it's better not to think about it): at the moment, after all, we have mostly those left.
