5 replacements for Gian Piero Ventura as Italy manager

#4 Simone Inzaghi

Questions of the kind of man Italy will target have not been answered, at least not publicly. Most international managers are older, more experienced and prefer to take on a more condensed workload. Fabio Capello had a mixed tenure in charge of England, and it ended in tears with Russia, but he would certainly fit the bill if, at 71 years of age, he fancied a go at the ultimate job in his homeland.

Dutchman Guus Hiddink has taken the unusual route of globetrotting even further, also enjoying a spell with Russia as well as South Korea and Australia among other national sides.

But this is an opportunity to try something completely radical; that might be what’s needed to arrest this Italian slump, which has been in motion since 2006.

Simone Inzaghi is an impressive young coach who has not, as yet, got much recognition outside of Serie A. He stepped in at Lazio after Marcelo Bielsa changed his mind about a spell in Rome after just two days in 2016, driving a talented squad of players to the highs of a Champions League.

At 41, he is considerably younger than the other names on this list and certainly a left-field option. But having spent his playing career as a striker in the shadow of his legendary brother Filippo, he is certainly trumping him in the dugout.

Inzaghi has not been mentioned for the Italy job and he may not be, but with a long list of top Italian bosses around, he certainly has a lot to inspire him. It won’t be long until he gets the praise he merits from far and wide.