MANCINI TIPS VIALLI FOR ITALY HOT-SEAT
Saturday October 19 2002
Lazio coach Roberto Mancini believes former Chelsea boss Gianluca Vialli has the ideal credentials to revive the Italian national team.
Mancini has backed under-fire Azzurri boss Giovanni Trapattoni to dig the national team out of their current hole, but the former Italy international believes Vialli should step into the breach if the FIGC decide it is time for a change.
Trapattoni was already facing calls for his resignation after last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia, but Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to Wales in Cardiff has only served to intensify the criticism. Mancini told Gazzetta dello Sport: "If the federation decided to change, then I think the ideal candidate will be Gianluca Vialli."
He added: "I think the current coach should continue because he has the strength to come out of this crisis."
The FIGC appear willing to stick by Trapattoni despite Italy's poor record of just two wins in their last 10 games.
And as Trapattoni himself has already ruled out resigning, talk of a successor remains nothing more than speculation.
But that has not stopped Mancini from pushing the claims of his former Sampdoria team-mate Vialli.
Vialli has been out of work since being sacked by Watford in June and is one of several candidates to have been mentioned by the Italian press.
Mancini said: "I think Gianluca can do really well, he has new and extraordinary ideas, is charismatic and he is appreciated by the players."
football365.com
not a bad shout, since he's more in touch with football of today unlike Trap. these days you see more inexperienced young managers succeeding at international level eg mark hughes, rudi voller... go with youth!