‘Great bitterness’ – Andrea Pirlo being denied Italy job sparks shock double resignation

Paolo Maldini has quit as technical director of the Italian Football Federation after Andrea Pirlo was not appointed head coach.

The federation’s president, Giovanni Malago, opted not to appoint Pirlo due to his commercial ties to a Russian betting company.

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Fonbet

Pirlo had emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Gennaro Gattuso after former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola turned down the post.

The AC Milan icon, who was part of the last Azzurri side to lift the World Cup as a player in 2006, had strong support from the newly-appointed Maldini and his adviser Leonardo.

But the fallout from Pirlo’s role as a global ambassador for Russia’s largest bookmaker, Fonbet, led to political resistance.

And, according to Sky Italy, the decision not to name the Italy legend as boss has led to Maldini and Leonardo stepping down.

Maldini was only given the role as technical director 16 days ago.

Pirlo will not be Italy’s new head coach

“Out of respect for the institutions, the federation and everybody involved, I have chosen to remain silent until now,” Pirlo wrote in a statement, confirming he won’t be Italy boss on Instagram.

“However, after learning last night that I am no longer a candidate for the Italy national team head coach position, I feel it is necessary to clarify a few points.

“Over the past few days, I have watched with great bitterness as the debate regarding my name and the possibility of my taking on the role of Italy national team head coach unfolded.

“Throughout my career, first as a player and then as a coach, I have always performed my duties with full respect of the laws of the countries I have worked in and the contracts I signed.

“The professional collaboration that is the subject of recent controversy came about as part of my working experience in the United Arab Emirates and is exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature. Attributing political meaning to this collaboration means attributing convictions to me that I have never expressed and that I do not hold.

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“I wish to thank Maldini and Leonardo for the respect and faith that they showed in me. I know their competence, their seriousness, and the love that they have always dedicated to Italian football.

“However, it is regrettable that a decision based on sporting grounds was quickly dragged into a public debate that ended up attributing motives and intentions to my name that never existed.

“My love for Italy does not depend on a job. It is part of my history, my identity, and will continue to accompany me, always.”

Why did Guardiola reject Italy?

Guardiola was the first-choice candidate to succeed Gattuso, who left his post in March after Italy failed to qualify for a third successive World Cup.

Italian football expert Daniele Fisichella explained on the latest talkSPORT episode of Danny Kelly’s Trans Euro Express podcast: “The name of Guardiola has been invented, has been named since May.

“Basically, the Italian FA, with the newly appointed Paolo Maldini, the former player, as a managing director, and Leonardo [Araujo], the Brazilian, as an adviser, they tried to get the best manager available on the market, which is Pep Guardiola, they met in Barcelona last Saturday, hours before the World Cup final, to explain the proposal and the idea of him managing not only the first team, but also be in charge of the restructuring of the Italian football.

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“Of course, a fascinating proposal, albeit for the fact that there is quite a lot of work to do in the Italian FA and in the Italian national team.

“Guardiola was honoured; he said, but very politely replied, thanks, but no thanks, for different reasons.

“Also because he wants to take a step down for a bit from football, for personal reasons, for family reasons,” Fisichella continued.

“So even the idea of living in Barcelona and almost working remotely and then going to Italy to manage the team every three or four months didn’t quite appeal to him.”

Who did Italy try to hire next?

Fisichella continued: “So then the Italian FA tried to convince Carlo Ancelotti, via Paolo Maldini, of course, his former teammate and former player at AC Milan. But Carlo Ancelotti had already committed to stay at Brazil.

“So the first choice, really the only viable choice, remained Andrea Pirlo, who, by the way, is a great friend of Paolo Maldini, having played together at AC Milan.

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“And Paolo Maldini has always been a big sponsor of Andrea Pirlo. Why? Because Andrea Pirlo is considered almost somebody who has also got this aura.

“He was a fantastic player, but he’s considered somebody who is destined to be a great manager.

“Unfortunately, his CV and his career doesn’t quite tell the same story. His first ever coaching experience was at Juventus in 2021, and he didn’t do really well there. They finished second; they won the cup.

“But that team never really convinced and was never able to impose themselves, despite still having Cristiano Ronaldo in very good form as well.

“Then he went to manage Sampdoria in the second division, got sacked after a year and a half, then went to Turkey and managed to finish fourth with a team outside of the top three anyway.

“And last year was managing in Dubai’s second division, which, by the way, he won the championship there. So at least he got United FC promoted to the first division.”

Pirlo’s ties to Russian betting company

Regardless of his less-than-glittering managerial CV, Pirlo looked set to become ‘the new Italian manager on a very cheap contract’.

“Only 1.5 million euros [£1.2m], compared, for example, to [Jurgen] Klopp, who earns 7-8m at Germany,” Fisichella added on talkSPORT on Sunday evening. “So he’s obviously much, much cheaper.

“However, it has emerged that Pirlo earlier this year in May flew to Russia to participate in a testimonial game and to do some sponsorship for a betting company, which, of course, has been frowned upon.

“Now, a big crisis has started in the last few hours.

“Even politicians got involved in Italy, saying that whoever represents Russia or helps Russia should never, never be appointed into public office. So you can imagine the things have unravelled.

“And Paolo Maldini, who’s been in the job less than three weeks, might resign if Pirlo, his friend, is not appointed. I mean, there’s never a boring moment in Italian football. Let’s face it.”

Fisichella ended up being correct in his statement too, as Maldini has now gone on to step down from his position.