The Azzurri head coach job is one that remains vacant after Gennaro Gattuso firing after missing out on World Cup qualification. However, the conditions for the job to be filled have finally met. Firstly, Giovanni Malaga was named, FIGC President last week and he has also picked his technical director.

Paolo Maldini was given the role, after rumours circulated that he wasn’t interested in taking it. He also bought his former teammate Leonardo to be an advisor to Maldini. Their first key job will be appointing a manager to take charge of the Azzurri’s men team. Maldini is known to personally like Pep Guardiola.

However, this deal is far fetched, due to Guardiola salary request’s. This could lead Maldini to other names in the search of a new coach. Roberto Mancini remains the runaway favourite, as he has the approval of FIGC president Giovanni Malago. Mancini has made it know his availability for the job, leaving Al Sadd in the hopes of returning to the Azzurri.

Roberto Mancini, head coach of Al-Sadd SC seen prior to the Qatar Stars League match between Al-Arabi SC and Al-Sadd SC at Khalifa International…

However, Maldini’s stance of Mancini still remains unknown which is holding up a deal. Gianluca Di Marzio is now reporting that Maldini could try and bring Andrea Pirlo to the job. This comes as Maldini was considering bringing Pirlo to AC Milan before he left the Rossoneri.

An issue, with the deal is that Pirlo already has a managerial job. He took charge of UAE side United Fc, last year and still has that job. Meanwhile, Roberto Mancini and the less liked Antonio Conte are both free agents. This means it would be easier to hire them, especially if Serie A clubs don’t provide finical support to the FIGC.

Paolo Maldini was named the new technical director of the FIGC yesterday. This came as a surprise as he was rumoured to not wanting the job. It seemed that the Azzurri would be forced to go into a different direction. Maldini is now in charged of turning around a failing footballing nation.

However, he won’t do so alone as he will bring one of his former teammates along. Leonardo Araujo will join Maldini on the journey to try and turn around the Azzurri. Leonardo has held executive jobs in the past, including working with Maldini at AC Milan.

Milan Sporting Strategy & Development Director Paolo Maldini and AC Milan Club Sporting Director Leonardo De Araujo before the Serie A match between…

The first job the two will have is finding a new manager for the mens national team. This comes after the dismissal of another one of Maldini’s former teammates, Gennaro Gattuso. Gattuso was fired after the Azzurri missed their third world cup in a row after losing to Bosnia in a playoff on penalties.

Roberto Mancini has been the leading name to take over the job. Mancini has held the role in the past taking the Azzurri to glory in 2021, by winning the Euros. Mancini left the job after that to take over as the manager of Saudi Arabia. Since then he spent last season at Qatari side Al Sadd.

Roberto Mancini, head coach of Al Sadd SC, reacts during the Qatar Stars League match between Al-Sailiya SC and Al-Sadd SC at Al Bayt Stadium in Al…

However, he since stepped down from that role as he wants to take the Azzurri job. He has already given his availability to the  board and is liked by FIGC president Giovanni Malago. Paolo Maldini’s feelings on Mancini are unknown, which could hurt his chances at a job.

Gazzetta Dello Sport is now reporting that Maldini does have a dream name in mind. This would be Pep Guardiola who left his job as manager of Manchester City at the end of last season. Pep is now without a job for the first time in a decade, and has shown interest in international management in the past.

His interest in management internationally, and Maldini’s dream of hiring Guardiola makes a deal possible. But, there is still issues for him joining the Azzurri. Firstly, he has high salary demands which hurts the deals chances, espically without finical support from the Serie A. He is also not Italian, while non Italians are allowed, there has only ever been two and they are typically looked down upon when in consideration for the role.

Giovanni Malago has finally made his first large decision as the new FIGC president. This came after his appointment a fortnight ago, when Malago was officaly elected. He was put in charge of a failing governing body, which was a major part of the reason, the Azzurri had missed out on three World Cups.

Malago, was trusted in steering the ship of the Azzurri back to World Cup paradise. First he would need to appoint some names to help him do so, mainly a technical director and a new manager. Malago has appointed his techinical director, none other than Azzurri legend Paolo Maldini, with it being offical confirmed by the Azzurri.

Maldini was a big get for Malago as he seemed inclined to turn the job down. Malago saw him as the number one option, but Maldini wasn’t completley on board. In fact all the rumors saw him turning the role down, in favour of something else. Which is why the announcement of his appointment came as a complete suprise.

But, now the focus will be forced to shift to finding a new manager for the Azzurri squad. The leading favourite for the role is still Roberto Mancini according to Fabrizio Romano. This comes as Mancini has given his full avabliabilty to the Azzurri, leaving his role at Al Sadd for the Azzurri job.

Sadd’s Italian coach Roberto Mancini instructs his players during the Qatar Stars League match between Al-Sadd and Al-Shamal at Jassim Bin Hamad…

Mancini also already has a good relationship with Malago, which will help foster a move. But, he isn’t the only name for the job as Antonio Conte has also made it known that he wants the job. Conte left his role at Napoli in the roles of managing the Azzurri for a second term, though no offer has been made to him as of yet.