Leadership Changes at FIGC
Leadership Changes at FIGC
Paolo Maldini has resigned from his position as technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after just 16 days. His adviser, Leonardo, also departed. These resignations follow the decision not to appoint Andrea Pirlo as the new head coach for Italy.
Both Maldini and Leonardo were appointed on July 11 as part of an overhaul of the national team management. Their task was to help rebuild the national side after the team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup finals. The FIGC made the official announcement of their appointments just over two weeks ago.
Head Coach Search Developments
The decision not to proceed with Pirlo as head coach was made on Sunday. Pirlo, who is , had been Maldini and Leonardo’s preferred candidate for the role. Concerns arose regarding Pirlo’s commercial ties to a Russian gambling firm, Fonbet, for which he serves as a global ambassador.
Pirlo addressed the situation in an Instagram post, stating that he learned he was no longer a candidate for the Italian national team. He defended his involvement with Fonbet, describing the collaboration as exclusively commercial and sporting, and denied any political meaning. The former Azzurri midfielder had signed an ambassadorial agreement with Fonbet in October.
Politicians and FIGC officials raised objections to Pirlo’s potential appointment due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Carlo Calenda of the centrist Azione party commented that anyone promoting Russia after 2022 should not hold national office. Pina Picierno, a vice-president of the European Parliament, suggested that the choice of Pirlo went against the cultural, ethical, and managerial revolution Italian football needed.
Pirlo’s ties to Fonbet and Russia intensified last spring when he participated in an event in Moscow. At this event, he and former teammate Marco Materazzi signed autographs. Reports indicate that pro-Kremlin pop star Shaman also performed at the event. Ukrainian skeleton slider Vladyslav Heraskevych criticised Pirlo for appearing alongside Russian footballer Artem Dzyuba at the event.
Previous Candidates and Future Outlook
Before Pirlo, the FIGC had approached other high-profile managers for the head coach position. Pep Guardiola was contacted and met with Maldini and Leonardo in Barcelona. They presented him with an ‘Azzurro project’ vision that aimed to rebuild Italian football across all national teams, not just the senior squad. However, Guardiola rejected the proposal for personal reasons.
Carlo Ancelotti was also contacted before Guardiola but has a contract with the Brazil national team. The head coach role has been vacant since Gennaro Gattuso’s departure. Following the recent developments, several other managers are now being linked with the vacancy, including Roberto Mancini, Thiago Motta, and Antonio Conte.
The double departure of Maldini and Leonardo creates an immediate challenge for the newly appointed federation president, Giovanni Malagò. The federation is currently without a clear national team strategy after failing to qualify for a third successive World Cup finals.
The Italian football community has been undergoing significant reflection after the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup earlier this year. Italy’s loss on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina in April contributed to the reshuffle within the FIGC.
Pirlo had been the leading candidate after Guardiola ruled himself out of contention for the role.
The Russian ambassador in Rome, Aleksey Paramonov, offered support to Pirlo, expressing sadness that, despite his contributions to world sport, he was being ostracised in his own country. Pirlo had been a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006.
The FIGC’s search for a new head coach continues, with various names reportedly under consideration. The federation faces the task of establishing a clear direction for the national team following these recent leadership changes and the ongoing head coach saga.
Source: skysports.com
As News GB's Senior Football Correspondent, Lewis Hartnell reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on south-coast football for a regional title. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Solent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Lewis lives in Southampton, where he watches youth football and follows the transfer market. “The week's training ground decides the weekend's headlines.”
