Fabio Capello believes Antonio Conte is well-prepared to return as the head coach of the Italy national team. However, he also feels that Massimiliano Allegri, despite his lack of international management experience, possesses the intelligence to adapt quickly to such a role.
Conte and Allegri are the primary contenders to succeed Gennaro Gattuso, who recently resigned from the position. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is currently without a president, with elections scheduled for June 22nd. Consequently, a decision on the new national team manager is not anticipated until a new head of the football association is in place.
Despite the ongoing leadership uncertainties within the FIGC, two leading candidates have emerged for the Italy head coach role. In a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabio Capello offered his perspective on both potential appointees.
Capello on the Next Italy CT: ‘Conte Knows What Awaits Him, Allegri is Intelligent’
One significant advantage in appointing Conte is his prior experience as the head coach of the Italian national team from 2014 to 2016.
“That would be a plus point for him,” Capello stated. “If he returns to the Azzurri dugout, he would already know what awaits him, even though the circumstances have changed compared to 10 years ago. It’s practically impossible to get worse than this; we’ve hit rock bottom.”
For Allegri, however, this would represent his first foray into international football management.
Capello cautioned about the differences, explaining, “You don’t have the daily relationship with the players. And that’s not trivial; you have less control over what happens during the season. From injuries to the form of various players, you experience everything from the outside until the players are in training camp at Coverciano.”
When asked if this would be a significant issue should Allegri take the Italy job, Capello responded, “I don’t think so; it would just be different. As I said, Max is intelligent and would quickly understand how to approach it. It would still clearly be a novelty for him at the beginning, while for Antonio it would not be.”
He added, “Allegri, on the other hand, has something more in terms of communication. Conte has been less diplomatic on some occasions in the past.”
Capello believes Conte performed creditably with the national team during his previous tenure, but he feels the quality of players available then was slightly superior to the current generation of Azzurri players.
“He definitely had a European championship that was up to par, but there were also some different players available,” Capello commented, referencing figures like Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Andrea Barzagli. “And there is no longer a real block of a (club) team in the national side. We have some from Inter, but it’s not as substantial as we’ve had in the past.”
This is not the first time Capello has emphasized the importance of having a core group of players from the same club within the national team setup.
“Look, the first piece of advice I would give to any coach: You need to create a base of players immediately, possibly focusing on ‘blocking’ a team from the national league.”
However, Capello acknowledges that implementing this strategy is challenging given the current scarcity of opportunities for Italian players in Serie A.
“I know it well; our current difficulties stem from here. The level of Italian players has dropped, and even the clubs are struggling. So for a scout, this is a very complicated task.”
Capello himself was once offered the Italy national team position but declined the opportunity.
“I received the Azzurri offer, but at the moment, I didn’t feel like it, and so I refused. The national team is a matter of feeling and responsibility, and if at that precise moment I didn’t feel I could make myself available, it would have been wrong to do so and accept.
“The Italy job is not to be taken or rejected for the sake of convenience. It’s something you have to feel inside because when the anthem starts, you are representing your country, and you are not ‘just’ at the service of a club, as with other jobs. So, I can’t suggest anything either way; it’s all strictly personal.”
Rephrased Text:
Fabio Capello has indicated that Antonio Conte is ready to take on the role of Italy’s national team manager once again. He also suggested that Massimiliano Allegri’s intelligence would enable him to adapt to the demands of international management, even though it would be a new experience for him.
Both Conte and Allegri are considered the frontrunners for the vacant Italy head coach position following Gennaro Gattuso’s recent resignation. The FIGC is still awaiting the election of a new president, scheduled for June 22nd, meaning a decision on the next manager is unlikely before the leadership is settled.
Despite the current ambiguity surrounding the FIGC’s leadership, two prominent candidates are being considered for the national team’s top coaching job. Fabio Capello, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, shared his assessments of each individual.
Capello on the Potential New Italy Manager: ‘Conte Has Prior Experience, Allegri is Adaptable’
Capello highlighted Conte’s previous tenure as a significant advantage, having managed the Italian team between 2014 and 2016.
“His previous experience would be beneficial,” Capello commented. “Should he return to manage the Azzurri, he would already be familiar with the role, though the landscape has shifted since a decade ago. The current situation is as low as it can get.”
Conversely, Allegri would be stepping into international management for the first time.
Capello explained the challenges, stating, “The daily interaction with players is absent, which is significant. Control over player form and fitness throughout the season is reduced, as the coach is largely detached until players convene for national team duty.”
However, Capello doesn’t foresee this as a major obstacle for Allegri.
“I don’t believe it would be a problem; it would simply be different. Max is a smart individual and would quickly grasp the intricacies of the role. While it would be new for him initially, it wouldn’t be for Antonio. Allegri, however, possesses superior communication skills, whereas Conte has occasionally shown less diplomatic tendencies in the past.”
Capello feels that while Conte did a respectable job with the national team previously, the talent pool available to him then was stronger than the current group of Italian players.
“He achieved good results in the European Championship, but the caliber of players available was different,” Capello noted, mentioning names like Buffon, Bonucci, Chiellini, and Barzagli. “Furthermore, there’s no longer a strong contingent of players from a single club forming the core of the national team. While Inter provides some players, it’s not the same depth as in previous eras.”
Capello has previously emphasized the benefit of having a solid base of players from the same club in the national squad.
“My primary advice to any coach would be to establish a core group of players quickly, ideally by leveraging a strong club team from the domestic league.”
Capello believes this approach is difficult to implement today due to the limited opportunities for Italian players in Serie A.
“This is precisely where our current struggles lie. The standard of Italian players has declined, and clubs are also facing challenges. Consequently, identifying and developing talent is a complex undertaking.”
Capello himself had the opportunity to manage the Italy national team but chose not to accept the offer.
“I was offered the Azzurri job, but I didn’t feel the timing was right, so I declined. Managing a national team requires a specific mindset and a sense of commitment. If I hadn’t felt fully prepared at that moment, accepting would have been inappropriate. The Italy position isn’t something to take lightly or refuse based on convenience; it’s a role that demands genuine passion, as you are representing your entire nation when the anthem plays, rather than simply serving a club. Therefore, I cannot offer definitive advice; the decision is deeply personal.”
English Translation:
Fabio Capello Weighs Up Pros and Cons of Conte and Allegri for Italy National Team Job
Fabio Capello believes that Antonio Conte is primed and ready to reclaim the Italy national team job, but feels that the need to adapt to international management would not put off Massimiliano Allegri either.
Conte and Allegri are the two leading candidates to take over as Italy national team head coach following the recent resignation of Gennaro Gattuso. Italy are still without an FIGC President as well, with elections scheduled for June 22, and so a decision on the next CT is not expected to arrive before a new head of the football association is in place.
Despite the uncertainties regarding the leadership of the Italian FA, there are two main candidates for the Italy head coach role, and Fabio Capello, speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, has given his thoughts on both.
Capello on the Next Italy CT: ‘Conte Knows What Awaits Him, Allegri is Intelligent’
One of the benefits in appointing Conte is the fact that he has already held the Italy head coach role between 2014 and 2016.
“That would be a plus point for him,” says Capello. “If he returns to the Azzurri dugout, he would already know what awaits him, even though the scenario has changed compared to 10 years ago. It’s practically impossible to get worse than this; we’ve hit rock bottom.”
For Allegri, however, it would be a first step into international football.
“You don’t have the daily relationship with the players,” Capello warned. “And that’s not trivial; you have less control over what happens during the season. From injuries to the form of various players, you experience everything from the outside until the players are in training camp at Coverciano.”
But does Capello feel that this would be an issue should Allegri take over the Italy job?
“I don’t think so; it would just be different. As I said, Max is intelligent and would quickly understand how to go about it. It would still clearly be a novelty for him at the beginning, while for Antonio it would not. Allegri, on the other hand, has something more in terms of communication. Conte has been less diplomatic on some occasions in the past.”
Capello believes that Conte did a decent job with the Italy national team during his time in charge between 2014 and 2016, but feels that the players he had available back then were of a slightly higher standard than the current crop of Azzurri representatives.
“He definitely had a European championship that was up to par, but there were also some different players available,” Capello said, referring to the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli. “And there is no longer a real block of a (club) team in the national side. We have some from Inter, but it’s not as large as we’ve had in the past.”
This is not the first time that Capello has mentioned the need for a ‘block’ of players who play for the same club to be deployed in the Italy team.
“Look, the first piece of advice I would give to any coach: You need to create a base of players immediately, possibly focusing on ‘blocking’ a team from the national league.”
Capello feels that this is easier said than done, though, given the lack of opportunities handed to Italian players in Serie A at the moment.
“I know it well; our current difficulties stem from here. The level of Italian players has dropped, and even the clubs are struggling. So for a recruiter, this is a very complicated task.”
Capello himself was once offered the Italy national team job but turned down the opportunity:
“I received the Azzurri offer, but at the moment, I didn’t feel like it, and so I refused. The national team is a matter of feeling and responsibility, and if at that precise moment I didn’t feel I could make myself available, it would have been wrong to do it and accept.
“The Italy job is not to be taken or rejected for the logic of convenience. It’s something you have to feel inside, because when the anthem starts, you are representing your country, and you’re not ‘just’ at the service of a club like with other jobs. So, I can’t suggest anything either way; it’s all strictly personal.”