Pep Guardiola has rejected the chance to be the next head coach of the Italy national football team, a setback for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in their hunt for a permanent manager following another disappointing international campaign.
Senior FIGC officials said they had sounded out Guardiola in an ambitious bid to bring in one of football’s most experienced coaches. The decision follows that announcement. Italy had already heard out Carlo Ancelotti before resorting to Guardiola but neither option has proved fruitful in the end.
Italian media and people close to the negotiations say Guardiola has told the federation that he has no intention of returning to coaching right after the end of his hugely successful period at Manchester City. The Spaniard has already said that he would take some time away from sport before deciding on his next management job.
Earlier this week, newly hired FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini said that Italy had approached both Ancelotti and Guardiola during the recruitment process.
“It was right to start by asking the best coaches in the world if they were available,” Maldini said, adding the federation would not rush to pick a new manager.
Italy are on the lookout for a coach after Gennaro Gattuso departed after another underwhelming World Cup cycle. The Azzurri have been struggling recently and the emphasis is on the federation to rebuild the national side and take Italy back to the pinnacle of world football.
Guardiola’s rejection is a particularly bitter pill for Italian football officials given his record as one of the most successful managers of the contemporary period. He is known for his possession-based style and tactical creativity and has won many league titles in Spain, Germany and England and several UEFA Champions League trophies in his coaching career.
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The federation is now expected to explore other candidates. Antonio Conte, Andrea Pirlo and former Italy coach Roberto Mancini are among those connected with the post, though no formal shortlist has been confirmed.
FIGC president Gabriele Gravina has highlighted the need of not rushing into an appointment, but choosing a coach capable of leading a long-term reconstruction process. Officials are also working to improve the technical framework of the national squad and improve young development to avoid further decline.
Football pundits think Guardiola’s choice reflects the huge responsibilities of international management and his desire for a break from the game after more than a decade of intense club football. Italy remains one of the world’s most prestigious national team jobs but it has proved difficult to coax elite managers into taking charge during a period of transition.
For now, Italy’s hunt continues, with federation officials insistent that they are committed to recruit a coach capable of leading the four-time world champions back to continuous success on the international scene.
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