HE is the international boss who contemplated quitting after a late missed penalty led to heartbreak at the World Cup.
He is concerned about the lack of homegrown talent playing in his country’s top division.
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And he is looking for more euros glory to ease the pain of the recent past.
No not Gareth Southgate.
Because if you think the England boss has been on a rollercoaster for a few years it’s nothing compared to what Robert Mannini And Italy have faced.
Southgate led the Three Lions to a first grand final in 55 years, only for Mancini emerges triumphant from their Euro 2020 showdown at Wembley, thanks to his side’s greater composure.
But from such great heights came a great fall.
It’s been a year since North Macedonia stunned football with a play-off semi-final win that meant Italy would miss a second World Cup in a row.
But it could all have been so different if Jorginho had scored a penalty a few months earlier.
Italy won a penalty in the last minute of their qualifying match against Switzerland in November 2021, with the score tied at 1–1.
If Jorginho had scored the goal, Mancini’s side would have entered the final round on top of the group, three points ahead of the Swiss and with a better goal difference.
But just like Harry Kane at a crucial stage of England quarter-final World Cup with Francethe ace of Arsenal shot his effort over – after conceding another penalty in the away game against Switzerland.
Unlike Kane, Jorginho and Italy had chances to redeem themselves – and blew them. A draw in Northern Ireland sent them to the play-offs as the Swiss knocked off Bulgaria, and then came that unlucky night against North Macedonia.
Mancini later admitted: “If things don’t go well, it’s clear that the responsibility lies with the coach. I thought about leaving.”
But the first Manchester City remained in charge and guided Italy to the Nations League final later that year, winning en route and drawing against Southgate’s England.
When the teams played a dull goalless draw at Molineux last June, pressure began to build on the Three Lions boss.
When a 4–0 thrashing by Hungary took place at the same venue three days later, the backlash saw Southgate on the verge of announcing his retirement from the World Cup.
But he didn’t, then quickly put an end to all speculation about his future after France’s defeat by confirming he would stay until at least 2024.
Southgate and Mancini go in search of redemption in tonight’s Euro 2024 qualifier as they sing from the same hymn.
The England coach warned that the declining number of Englishmen in the Premier League will force future managers to look for players in the Championship.
Mancini responded: “We are worse off than Southgate. I don’t know why there are so few strikers, we are very limited in the future.
“We have three teams in the Champions League quarterfinals. But of them, there are at most seven or eight Italians. This is the reality.”
For the record, it’s seven. Meanwhile, England’s two clubs are in the last eight, Manchester City and Chelseatake care of eight players in Southgate’s squad.
And the English side, also without an injured Chelsea pair Raheem Sterling And Mason mountainlooks stronger on paper.
Italy will particularly miss Giacomo Raspadori, whose brilliant goal gave Italy victory over the Lions in September. Napoli’s Raspadori is out with a thigh injury.
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But Mancini and Italy have something else urging them on: the memory of the former Azzurri striker Gianluca Vialli.
The most powerful image of the Euro 2020 final was head coach Mancini hugging Vialli, his ex-Sampdoria and Italy teammate, after Gianluigi rejected Donnarumma Bukayo Saka in the shootout.
The former Chelsea striker had accepted a position with the national team during his first bout of cancer in 2018.
But tears of joy at Wembley in July 2021 became tears of pain in January then Vialle passed awayonly 58 years old. Heartbroken, Mancini said afterwards that he was on a mission assigned to him by his “little brother”.
He said: “I went to Luca in London in December, I was a little scared. He said to me, ‘I’m relaxed, don’t worry’. He was the one trying to cheer me up.
“Gianluca told me that we have to win the World Cup in 2026 and that he will be with us. We hope to dedicate a nice victory to him soon.”
In Naples tonight, Italy’s first game since Vialli’s death would be a fitting way for Mancini’s European champions to begin that quest.