ROME—Two days after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, the head of the country’s football federation fired national coach Gian Piero Ventura — while ignoring angry calls to quit his own job. Read more:Italy creates ‘lost generation’ of soccer stars with 2018 World Cup missItaly faces soccer shakeup after missing World CupHow Italian soccer fans will spend their next summer after team failed to qualify for World Cup“We believe we’ve got to start the rebuilding process with elections,” Tommasi said. “The problems of Italian football can’t be resolved with just the firing of the national team coach,” added Tommasi, who played for Italy and helped Roma win the 2001 Serie A title. Ventura was hired last year when Antonio Conte left the national team to coach Chelsea after the European Championship. But it remains to be seen if he’ll be willing to coach the national team, or if he still prefers the daily activities of a club.

Source: thestar November 15, 2017 18:18 UTC