A stunning 1-0 defeat to North Macedonia in Thursday’s play-off semi-final in Palermo has left Italy missing consecutive World Cups for the first time in their history.
It led to huge soul-searching – and plenty of angry reactions – across one of football’s great nations on Friday as Italy tried to come to terms with the fact that the Azzurri will be absent at Qatar 2022, just as they played no part in Russia 2018.
The inquest has quickly begun and there will be a process whereby some will be held to account over such a dire outcome for the four-time winners.
Elation at triumphing at the Euros last July has been replaced by suspicions that it was just a flicker of rude health amid serious worries over the health of the Italian game.
“Failure to qualify for the final phase of the World Cup is a failure for the whole of Italian football, which must lead everyone to serious reflection and a profound change in our system,” Casini lamented on Friday.
“Right now, I am only experiencing the great disappointment of all the fans.
“I am very sorry when I think of the girls and boys who are still waiting to see Italy at the World Cup and who must be able to continue growing in the blue dream.
“Serie A clubs and their players have always responded positively to the call of the national team and always will, also because it is about the sporting commitment that unites the country and should always make us overcome every allegiance and every division.
“The national team belongs to everyone.”
Roberto Mancini was backed to stay on as head coach by Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina in the immediate aftermath of Italy’s defeat.
Gravina wanted the previous round of Serie A fixtures to be postponed to give Italy more time to prepare for the game, but his request was denied by the league.
“I’m sorry the boys only met for one day to prepare for the game,” Gravina said after Thursday’s game.
“It doesn’t help, but I don’t want to cause a controversy.”
The reaction across Italy was summed up in a headline in Italian sports paper Corriere dello Sport on Friday, which read: To Hell.
“This is an epoch-making disaster. The shame is worse than ever,” another newspaper, Il Messaggero, wrote.
For the last two seasons, no Italian teams have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, a trophy which has eluded Italy since 2010, with many domestic clubs weighed down by debt and unable to attract the top talent that once flocked to Serie A.
“The system, Italian soccer in its entirety, needs to be put on trial,” Italy’s top-selling sports daily, Gazzetta dello Sport, wrote in an editorial, blaming a “total lack of vision” among sport administrators.
There is no great enthusiasm, though, to remove coach Mancini, but he hasn’t ruled out stepping down.
“Let’s see. The disappointment is too big at present to talk about the future,” he said on Thursday when asked about his plans.
“I just don’t know what to say.”
- AAP
