Veteran football coach, Roberto Mancini says he made a big mistake by quitting the Italy job for Saudi Arabia.
His role as head coach of Italy ended on August 12, 2023, after he accepted a very lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia to manage the team for four years.
But he was sacked by Saudi Arabia this month just a year into his four year contract after a poor run of results in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking with Il Giornale, the Italian tactician stated that he would have kept hold of his job in Italy.
“No, I wouldn’t make the choice to leave the Italy bench again.
“That solid relationship of trust that I had with the Federation had been mutually undermined. If I could go back, I would approach everything differently. If (FIGC president Gabriele) Gravina and I had spoken, explained, clarified, things probably wouldn’t have gone this way.
“Coaching while feeling that the confidence in yourself wavers, believe me, is not a good feeling. It does not guarantee that you can work with the right serenity. Despite this, I reproach myself for not having faced everything more clearly.
“Between me and Gravina there has always been a relationship based on great respect and dialogue. And the time when perhaps it was necessary to speak clearly, it was not done.”
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
