Football
ESPN staff 6y

Italy to name permanent coach on May 20 - FIGC's Alessandro Costacurta

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) vice-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta has said the decision on Italy's next permanent coach will be taken by May 20.

Italy's current interim coach Luigi Di Biagio is still in the running for the job but, according to Costacurta, Chelsea's Antonio Conte, Sevilla's Vincenzo Montella, Zenit's Roberto Mancini and the currently unemployed Carlo Ancelotti are also on the radar.

Di Biagio, a former Italy under-21 coach, was appointed after the sacking of Gian Piero Ventura following Italy's failure to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958.

"We will tell you the name of the new coach on May 20," Costacurta told journalists on Saturday, after a 2-0 defeat to Argentina at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. "If we have the opportunity to get someone better than Di Biagio -- and I don't think there are many -- then we will.

"I think it's more important to think about the players we have, because I doubt Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola would have done better yesterday."

Costacurta also reassured Di Biagio, saying that there will be a role for him even if he fails to be appointed as the next permanent coach of the national team.

"Di Biagio is a coach who has improved year by year, climbing the ranks within the federation," he said. "It's very likely that he will either be the new coach or enter into the staff of the new coach.

"Gigi is very talented. I have been watching him closely and can confirm those within the federation see the situation the same way I do."

Italy will face England next on Tuesday at Wembley.

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