Italy rebuild implodes after 16 days

Paolo Maldini and Leonardo have resigned from their roles with the Italian Football Federation just 16 days after being appointed to lead a major overhaul of the national team.The departures follow the collapse of attempts to appoint Pep Guardiola and Andrea Pirlo, deepening the crisis facing new FIGC president Giovanni Malagò after Italy missed a third successive World Cup.Pirlo said: “I heard last night that I’m no longer the candidate for the Italy national team job.“Over the past few days, I have watched with great bitterness the debate that has developed around my name and the possibility of taking on the role of head coach of the Italian national team.”Maldini was appointed technical director on July 11, with former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain executive Leonardo joining as his adviser.The pair initially pursued Guardiola and travelled to Barcelona for talks with the former Manchester City manager.Guardiola was reportedly seeking about €20m annually, while the federation’s budget was closer to €10m. Although Malagò publicly suggested an exception could be made for an elite candidate, the negotiations did not produce an agreement.Guardiola’s preference for a break from management after leaving Manchester City also complicated the approach.Maldini subsequently backed Pirlo, who was prepared to leave Dubai United to take charge of the national team.That appointment collapsed after Italian politicians raised concerns over Pirlo’s ambassadorial agreement with Fonbet, a Russian betting company.Pirlo insisted the partnership was connected to his work in the United Arab Emirates and had no political significance, but the controversy made his appointment increasingly difficult for the FIGC to defend.Maldini and Leonardo’s resignations leave the federation without the senior figures appointed to design its sporting recovery and identify a successor to Gennaro Gattuso.Gattuso departed in April after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, extending an absence from the tournament dating back to 2014.The crisis also follows early European exits for Italian clubs last season, adding pressure on the FIGC to address coaching, youth development and the wider competitiveness of the domestic system.Roberto Mancini, Thiago Motta and Antonio Conte are among the names linked with the vacancy.Malagò must now appoint a coach while also rebuilding the technical structure that was supposed to oversee Italy’s long-term recovery.