Gian Piero Ventura Sacked as Italy Manager After Missing 2018 World Cup

Gian Piero Ventura has been sacked from his position as the manager of the Italian national team, it was confirmed on Wednesday. 

News of the change of leadership came via Sky Sports News:

Ventura leaves the Italy side at their lowest ebb for 60 years, as the team failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup; it will be the first time since 1958 the Azzurri won't be involved in football's biggest international tournament.

In a two-legged play-off against Sweden, they were beaten 1-0. As noted by Sport Witness, the country's leading sports daily reacted angrily with the following front page:

After the loss, it was reported Ventura had departed, although those suggestions turned out to be incorrect initially. However, his position was always likely to be untenable after the side's struggles.

The play-offs were indicative of a tenure that has been rife with peculiar tactical decisions from Ventura, none more so than in the second leg of the match against Sweden where star Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne was left on the bench as the team chased a key goal.

BeIN Sports' Matteo Bonetti was staggered by the approach that was taken by Ventura during the vital match:

There have been signs of an unravelling ahead of these two matches, though.

While there was no shame in Italy finishing in second place to Spain in the World Cup qualifying group, there was a naivety in the way the team was set up in such an attacking style when the two sides met in Madrid; Spain coasted to a 3-0 win.

James Horncastle of BBC Sport also noted senior players called a meeting after the team slumped to a disappointing 1-1 draw against Macedonia, "leading to the assumption they were taking matters into their own hands."

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And against Sweden, the side lacked imagination, as Ventura struggled to get the best out of the players available. 

As noted below, it feels as though the team has reached the end of an era:

La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t the Guardian) has identified Carlo Ancelotti as a potential successor, with the legendary Italian coach having left Bayern Munich in September. Additionally, Zenit St Petersburg head coach Roberto Mancini was mentioned as a possible candidate.

Whoever takes over will have some brilliant players to call upon, with some exciting youngsters coming through. But it will be the UEFA European Championship in 2020, provided Italy qualify, before we see these players thrive on the big stage.