Mancini announces surprise resignation as Italy coach after up and down tenure

ROME (AP) — Italy coach Roberto Mancini surprisingly resigned on Sunday, ending an up-and-down tenure with the nationwide workforce that included a European Championship title in 2021 but in addition a failed qualification for final 12 months’s World Cup.

The Italian soccer federation issued a brief announcement saying that Mancini communicated his resignation “late last night,” including {that a} new coach can be named “over the next days.”

The federation doesn’t have a lot time with Euro 2024 qualifying matches towards North Macedonia and Ukraine scheduled for Sept. 10 and 12, respectively.

Mancini was employed in May 2018 to revive the Azzurri after in addition they didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup beneath predecessor Gian Piero Ventura. And he did by including aptitude and youth to a workforce that received admirers all around the continent throughout the year-delayed Euro 2020.

Mancini was hailed for his imaginative and prescient when he known as up then-Roma ahead Nicolò Zaniolo earlier than he had ever performed in Serie A, however he additionally struggled to search out prime gamers from the Italian league, which has been hesitant to make use of younger gamers at instances.

It’s unclear what’s subsequent for the 58-year-old Mancini, who was a number one membership coach earlier than taking up the nationwide workforce, having received league titles at each Inter Milan and Manchester City.

Mancini was additionally a standout participant for Sampdoria, Lazio and Italy.

Mancini’s exit places the federation in full rebuilding mode, with girls’s coach Milena Bertolini having additionally introduced her resignation after the Azzurre didn’t advance from the Women’s World Cup group stage.