Rome, Italy – Andrea Abodi, the Italian Minister of Sport, criticized the way the negotiations with Spaniard Pep Guardiola, a candidate to coach the Italian national team, were being handled, considering that revealing the negotiations before reaching a final agreement involved unnecessary risks.
Aboudi said in a press statement that he did not know whether Guardiola had studied the offer sufficiently, adding: “When an option of this magnitude is announced, there should be reasonable confidence that it can be completed, otherwise it is better to keep the matter out of the spotlight”.
He added: “Taking the issue public without certainty opens the door to unnecessary risks”.
He continued: “The options seem very far apart, so announcing negotiations without guaranteeing approval was a gamble, and gambles always carry risks. That’s why we need logical decisions, and the team’s performance on the field will be the true benchmark for judging the validity of the decision”.
The Italian Football Federation continues its search for a new coach to lead the national team, following Gennaro Gattuso’s departure from his post.
Paolo Maldini, the Italian Football Federation’s technical director, along with his advisor Leonardo, are tasked with negotiating with candidates to take over the technical leadership of the Azzurri.
Pep Guardiola ended his tenure with Manchester City after ten years at the helm of the English team’s coaching staff.
