View from Italy: We hope Giampiero Ventura resigns... but would Carlo Ancelotti want this pressure?

Italy will not go to World Cup for the first time in 60 years: Manager Giampiero Ventura was going ok until the match in Madrid against Spain, then he totally lost control. He wasted the few players with talent we have in Italy and stuck with his tactical beliefs (4-2-4 and the 3-5-2), not taking the suggestions coming from Serie A matches. Roy Hodgson, for example, would have been sacked for a lot less. He didn't resign (yet) which is unbelievable. But we don't lose hope!

It's not a freak occurrence, but something we could expect: because Italy, after winning the World Cup in 2006, had two poor campaigns in 2010 and 2014. Only Antonio Conte temporarily concealed the real problems, getting the best out from a team who had lots of limits – just like he did with Chelsea last year. Conte did say that something had to be done to support the national team, a squad we look at only when great events are coming.

Serious managers, serious scheduling, a top-class head coach. Ancelotti is free, but does he want to take on this pressure cooker?

President of the Italian Football Federation Carlo Tavecchio comes first, as he chose Ventura (who is next in line, as we said before) who renewed his contract just before the second game against Spain (insanity!).