Not ace for Ventura as Italy coach gets sack

Arab News
Gian Piero Ventura has been fired as coach of Italy after they failed to reach the World Cup finals. (AP)

LONDON: Gian Piero Ventura has been sacked as Italy coach after the four-time champions failed to reach the World Cup finals.
The veteran coach’s fate was sealed after a crisis meeting of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in Rome yesterday.
The 69-year-old had refused to resign despite a 1-0 aggregate playoff defeat to Sweden on Monday saw Italy miss the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
That brought with it a lot of soul searching in a country passionate about football and the success of the the national team.
“As of today Gian Piero Ventura is no longer the coach of the national team,” the FIGC said in a statement.
Ventura had defended his leadership as “one of the best records in 40 years’ despite failing to lead the five-time winners to their 19th World Cup.
“I lost only two games in two years,” he had told Italian television show Le Iene in a brief interview.
Since the former Torino coach took over in July 2016, Italy have lost three matches — against France in Bari (3-1), Spain in Madrid (3-0) and against Sweden in the World Cup first-leg playoff in Solna (1-0) — winning nine and drawing four.
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has already been touted by the Italian press as the favorite to replace Ventura, as the 58-year-old Italian is free since being sacked by Bayern Munich at the end of September.
In another managerial change following the World Cup playoffs Belgian Marc Wilmots has left his job as Ivory Coast coach after failing to lead the side to the tournament in Russia.
Wilmots departed after six months in charge, the Ivorians’ 2-0 home loss to Morocco on Saturday ensuing they finished runners-up in their qualifying group and missed out on the tournament in Russia.
“We had a meeting on Nov. 13 and agreed on an amicable parting of ways, while welcoming the good atmosphere that prevailed during the six months of working together,” the Ivorian Football Federation said in a statement.
But while Ventura and Wilmots won’t be at the World Cup, one man put his hand up to make the showpiece.
Diego Maradona criticized the faltering Argentina team and appealed for another chance at managing the national side.
A day after they lost 4-2 to Nigeria in a friendly in Russia, Maradona, who last managed Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, hit out the current set up in a short Instagram message.
“I am angry because they have thrown away our prestige, but it’s not the fault of the lads,” he said. “I WANT TO COME BACK!!!”
Maradona, who is currently coach of United Arab Emirates side Al-Fujairah, posted statistics of 11 recent Argentina managers that showed his success rate was 75 percent, greater even than that of Cesar Luis Menotti, who won the World Cup in 1978, and Carlos Bilardo, who lifted the trophy in 1986 when Maradona was at his brilliant playing best.